


Children Of Pain

by PrinceOfUchiha



Category: Naruto
Genre: Adoption, Akatsuki is a family, Angst, Antagonistic Tobi/Obito, Don't screw with Konan's children, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Family, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff at the beginning, Gore warning, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mild Kidnapping, Mild Language, Nagato is a tired dad, Probably ooc, Rare-pairs, Skippable Gore, The Akatsuki will begrudgingly give them lots, The kids need hugs, Very Heavy Angst, angst later on, lots of them - Freeform, then fluff again
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:34:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 56
Words: 132,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23539183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrinceOfUchiha/pseuds/PrinceOfUchiha
Summary: Konan may not agree with everything Nagato does, but she still cares about him. Nagato knows this and appreciates it. So when she makes one not so tiny request, he decides it can't hurt to agree. That was a mistake.She could adopt one child, he had said. One. When she returned for her mission with five, he wasn't exactly pleased. But then, children don't come with refunds, he supposed.This is the story of how the Akatsuki ended up raising a group of chaotic children. What started as five only grew, until Konan got even more than she ever wished for. The children in question?Naruto, Gaara, Sasuke, Neji, Hinata, and Karin, of course!
Relationships: Deidara/Sasori (Naruto), Former Zabuza/Kisame, Gaara/Haku (Naruto), Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka, Hidan/Kakuzu (Naruto), Hoshigaki Kisame/Uchiha Itachi, Hyuuga Hinata/Rock Lee, Karin/Temari (Naruto), Konan/Nagato | Pain, Nara Shikamaru/Uchiha Sasuke, Sai/Uzumaki Naruto, Seigetsu/Neji
Comments: 83
Kudos: 259





	1. Pained Children

**Author's Note:**

> The ages have been edited, and I'll list them below. This takes place a few months after the Uchiha massacre. 
> 
> Sasuke- 6
> 
> Naruto- 6
> 
> Gaara- 6
> 
> Hinata- 5
> 
> Neji- 8
> 
> Itachi- 15
> 
> Deidara- 15
> 
> Kisame- 17
> 
> Pain- 35
> 
> Konan- 35
> 
> Sasori- 24
> 
> Other ages remain the same. Thanks to all for reading, feel free to review and tell me how you're liking it if you wish.

The entire Akatsuki sat, lined up on the couch in their hideout. They all shared similar looks of skepticism, hell, even Itachi didn't seem to think this was a good idea. After all, they were a group of S-Class criminals. How could she possibly think this was a good idea? Tobi, of course, was the first to speak, excited. "Tobi loves children! Children love Tobi too!"

"Wouldn't all the...ya know...murder be a bad influence on the kid? Not to mention it would be easy enough for them to leak information of the Akatsuki by accident. Kids aren't too good about being quiet when it comes to this sort of thing." Sasori noted, looking up to their leaders.

Itachi nodded slightly, not liking the idea of bringing children up in such an environment. "Yes, will all due respect Pain, this could do serious damage to a child's mind. Plus children are much easier to manipulate than one of us. I would not put the seven nations above torturing children for information."

His shark partner nodded, rolling his neck tiredly. "Yeah, I wouldn't put it above us not to hurt the kid either. Not all of the members have as good of restraint as Itachi. You know our tempers can be wild." he pointed out. "Not to mention it would be easy enough for one of us to accidentally scar them as it is. Then if we didn't hurt them, the giant shark or mutated hands might scar them enough for them to go into panic themselves."

Hearing the mutated point Deidara glared heavily at Kisame "My hands aren't mutated! They're amazing, and I bet a kid would be able to see that. I'm all for the kid thing because for once I have to agree with Tobi. Kids love me." he smirked.

Kakuzu growled lightly, leaning back on the couch "You only say that because you are a child, Deidara. And like you most children are noisy, messy, and above all else, expensive. This would cut into not only our time for Akatsuki base missions but also our time for our free time where we earn most of our own cash." frowning heavily.

Deidara glared at the man, about to say something when Hidan grinned "The kid won't be scared of death once they learn of my god's greatness! They can become worshipers of Jashin with me! They'd love it." he grinned. The other's sweatdropped, and the look on Konan's face told him he wouldn't be working on the kid's conversion under their watch. Hidan pouted, slumping back in his chair "Fine, fine, but if the brat gets into it on its own then I won't be at fault."

Zetsu said nothing for a moment before agreeing "Perhaps it would be good to have a child around. If half the Akatsuki agrees at first glance, it can't do any harm." going along with his carefree side as he spoke. After all, he figured if worse came to worse they were all extremely powerful ninja. Why wouldn't they be able to help the kid if it got into trouble with the other nations?

Konan smiled thinly to Pain "See, only four against it. Add us in and that makes six for it. So I guess that settles that." glancing over at the four disagreeing members and offering a warning smile "And if they don't like it, they're free to leave."

Itachi shook his head, agreeing with them easily. After all, he had a mission to think of. He hadn't been their long, and he knew Danzo would have his head if he returned so soon as a failure. Kakuzu slowly agreed, not ready to let go of the good money he made as a member of the Akatsuki.

Sasori sighed in annoyance but agreed. He didn't want to be kicked out as it would really be more trouble than it was worth. The Akatsuki gave him food and a roof over his head, so why worry about the fate of a kid. That, and he had to admit he knew the pain of losing your parents wasn't easy. Kisame nodded slowly, figuring at least it would be interesting this way.

Pain nodded in confirmation, "Alright. So this means we need to find a kid now. Konan and I have found the perfect match, and everyone besides Itachi will most likely be fine with this. Itachi, you'll get past it eventually. Hopefully, you'll be reasonable about this." he glanced at the ravenette for a moment before turning to the others.

"Sasuke Uchiha. He won't be affected by the killing as much due to him seeing his entire family dead. He can keep things quiet as he is an Uchiha, and Uchiha are known to be about how Itachi is. Itachi is the prime example of everything an Uchiha is. Intelligent, quiet, brave, strong, and mature from a young age." he explained. "He is Itachi's younger brother, the only living Uchiha besides Itachi that we know of." not mentioning Tobi for obvious reasons.

Deidara gave a loud whine "No, not another Uchiha! If the kid is anything like his brother he'll just be a snot-nosed, arrogant, bastard!" he objected, Itachi reaching over on reflex to knock Deidara over the head lightly. The teen glared at the other, "Well it's true!" he pointed out.

Rolling his eyes lightly, Itachi corrected "Arrogance is not a trait of the Uchiha, it's a trait of the foolish. Much like yourself." glancing at Pain and Konan "If you truly believe this is for the best, I understand. Though, you seem to be misunderstanding what he will be like." he corrected lightly.

The leader gave an interested look, motioning for him to continue. "What you say is true, but only of first-born Uchiha. Second-born Uchiha tend to be much different as they are raised for different purposes. Firstborn are raised to become powerful shinobi, and second born and on are raised as spares. In the Uchiha clan, you need to swap eyes with a close relative to gain strong visual power and unlock a special technique for the Sharingan."

Even though he had to sound casual about mistreating his brother to keep up his cover, he still felt terrible. But he knew this would help his case to get Sasuke away. "For years parents went after the eyes of their children and vise versa, siblings after each other, even cousins would spill each other's blood in the rare hopes of getting this power at the cost of a loved one's life. So eventually the clan stopped treating second-born as children. They are trained to be ready to give blood, eyes, or even their lives for firstborns from birth on."

Unfortunately, Itachi didn't speak of lies either. Hence their father's distaste for Sasuke and their mother's slight coddling. "So you'd be receiving a boy who is severely underdeveloped in all ninja skills as well as most likely broken mentally. He wasn't raised to deal with what happened. That or now that our clan is dead he'd do a 360 and become a power-hungry demon now that he has no one to serve."

There was complete silence for a moment before Deidara spoke "Fuck, I knew the Uchiha were cold but that's just brutal man." the others agreeing with Deidara for once. Itachi mentally facepalmed as he saw Konan, even more determined to get Sasuke now.

"Then we will take whatever he has become. All the more reason to pick him, he's one of the few people who could heal you if your eyes go further down the road they are taking. If you Uchiha would grow up and just do a medical eye swap then no lives would be wasted at all." she pointed out with a light scold.

Well, Itachi couldn't disagree there. He had pointed this out to his father a number of times, actually. "Well, that is true." he frowned. He knew there was now no changing her mind, and he would have to live with it. Hopefully, he could change his plans a bit.

Pain glanced around "Itachi, Kisame, Tobi, and Konan. You four will go, treat this as any other mission. Konan is in charge." he narrowed his eyes "Any insubordination will be punished severely." figuring it couldn't hurt to make Konan happy. How hard could one kid be?

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

Sasuke was sitting in the park, using his kunai to draw pictures in the sand. His recent friend, Gaara, sat beside him. Gaara was using his own sand to make faces in the sand, much to Sasuke's amusement. The six-year-old watched as four figures came closer, quickly able to realize they were coming directly towards them. Gaara began to look nervous as they came closer, holding tighter onto his teddy bear as a female began kneeling down to smile at them.

The Akatsuki members were all disguised, but Sasuke quickly felt his older brother's chakra and leaped to his feet as they approached, trying to motion Gaara along with him. Konan reached out, however, taking hold of Sasuke's sleeve lightly. "Hey there, you must be little Sasuke?" she greeted warmly.

She was surprised however as the sand from the box quickly moved up to wrap around her arm in a crushing grip. The sand easily went through the paper, but she still had not been expecting it. She glanced over at the now frightened redheaded boy, whose eyes welled up and sand began attacking Konan's paper body. "Let go of him!" he demanded, clutching his bear tightly to himself.

Tobi moved closer, feeling the chakra of the one-tailed beast and becoming interested "Ooo~ We have a scary little monster here don't we?" he playfully spoke. The slight widening of Gaara's eyes did not go unmissed by the Akatsuki as the six-year-old's sand circled Tobi's body, attempting to squeeze him to death.

Tobi actually chocked for a moment before Naruto ran over. The blonde looked at Gaara, raising a hand and pointing to him "No Gaara! No attacking with your sand, you're in control, remember?" the child instructed fiercely, leading Gaara's sand to loosen before falling completely. The tears had sprung up by now and Gaara pointed at Tobi "But he...he...called me a.. and she touched...Sasuke..."

Naruto immediately understood and stormed towards Tobi, hand on his hips. Tobi also sensed the chakra of the ninetails, and became twice as interested as the little blonde barked "You all better get out of here, or else!" he warned, though none of the older ninjas seemed impressed.

Tobi broke the slowly creeping silence as he pointed to the two tailed beast holders "Konan! We should take them with us too, they look like fun!" he hummed, giving the underlying order Konan wasn't expecting.

Konan glanced at him with an unsure look "We can't just take them away from their parents, Tobi. People would come looking." she pointed out lightly. "we agreed on Sasuke because he wouldn't be missed. It's dangerous to up and take two children. Who knows how powerful their families are. Especially the one with the sand." she argued.

Itachi by now had gone over to pick Sasuke up in his arms, the child too scared to make any noise. Kisame noted "Well, actually the blonde kid is kind of one of the most known orphans. His parent's died of...special circumstances." glancing at the blonde "I'll even tell you who they are if you don't try to run. Though you are right Konan, the kid with the sand does belong to a powerful bloodline. Son of the Kazekage. The man ordered me to kill his son once. The kid nearly ripped me to shreds with that sand of his. After a few tries, I said fuck it and got bored." the shark waved it off.

Konan quickly turned around to look at Kisame "His father did what?" she asked. She took a moment to process it before shaking her head "Okay fine Tobi, fine. But we have to hurry before anyone else sees us. It isn't safe to be out in the open like this." she sighed. Tobi giggled, opening his arms and motioning for the child to follow.

Gaara slowly stood up, inching his way towards the man but keeping his sand up just in case. He ended up standing beside Konan, finding her chakra to be less threatening than Tobi's. He looked up at her slowly "Sasuke and Naruto will be there too?" he asked quietly, holding his toy close to him. Konan smiled and nodded. They soon all headed off, towards the exit of the village through the back.

They got a few glances, but as they had changed their appearances no one took great notice of them. That, or they simply didn't care. After all the great nations weren't exactly known for being protective of their orphans or children for that matter.

Their attention was pulled away from the gate when they heard a small clearing of the throat. Their attention turned to a little girl with dark blue hair. She was fidgeting with her fingers, and they could tell easily she was nervous. She seemed to force the words out "Where are y-you going with N-Naruto?" she asked, and they could easily see the girl's silver eyes and identify her as a member of the Hyuuga clan.

Beside her was a boy a bit older, arms crossed and head held higher in pride. He wore a band around his head, and of the four ninjas, only Itachi knew what it meant. After all, the Hyuuga clan didn't go around shoving the fact they enslaved their own kin in others' faces. Itachi only knew due to the close relations of the Hyuuga and Uchiha. Sasuke by now had come to his senses and was beginning to squirm in his brother's hold. "Let go!" the younger growled.

The boy from the Hyuuga clan spoke, voice full of authority. "I am Neji Hyuuga, and this is Lady Hinata. By order of the Hyuuga clan and the village, let them go." he demanded calmly, hand in front of his nervous cousin. Naruto looked confused, not sure why Neji and Hinata were so against them going with the men and woman.

Itachi sighed and tossed his brother unceremoniously towards Kisame who caught the kicking boy without any troubles. All the other Akatsuki members were surprised by Itachi's gentle but strong voice as he spoke "I know who you two are. It's been quite some time since I saw you two though, Lady Hinata was just a baby at the time." he smiled "I also know that order holds no influence over us for two reasons. One, we aren't from your village. Two, you aren't a member of the head household."

The eight-year-olds face flustered with embarrassment, glaring at the teen "I don't care if I know you or not! Let Naruto and the others go. Or I'll tell my uncle. He'll have you caught by dawn." he spoke despite the terror of being outnumbered and overpowered.

Itachi by now had moved to stand just in front of the two Hyuuga children, the girl shyly moving back. Itachi reached down and slide the boy's headband down, revealing his seal mark. The brunette's hands flew up to hide it in shame, but Itachi easily caught the smaller hands. He leaned in slightly to look at the prodigy "Will he now? I presume you'll be ready to be laying sick in bed with a headache while all this happens too then. I know how your uncle is. He'll use this as a reason to activate your seal, won't he? After all, you didn't fulfill your master's wishes, nor did you stop her from running face-first towards a group of deadly S-Class criminals."

The boy's eyes widened slightly, tugging away from Itachi. He hated to admit it, but Itachi was right. His uncle would activate it for minutes on end for allowing her to go into such danger. Not to mention she would be severely punished and forced to pack on more training for months.

Itachi's eyes now gentled "Now, how about you two come with us. That way you don't have to worry about being punished any more and Lady Hinata can live without all that terrible stress and her father's mistreatment. Then it'll be best for your clan too since your uncle can focus on her younger sister to become heiress freely." he suggested.

Konan went wide-eyed "Itachi! Pain is already going to react badly to two extra children, but four? We really shouldn't do this." she scolded quickly, not sure she could handle five children anyways. That, and she would at least like to be asked first.

The older Uchiha glanced back "Would you rather us kill them, Konan? We can't let the information leak. So its take them with or we kill these two. Which would create chaos in the village, and both being from the Hyuuga, risks Konoha thinking it was another village or clan. Leading to war." he warned coldly.

The purple-haired girl hesitated, sighing heavily and nodding in agreeance. She didn't want war, nor to kill innocent children. Sasuke had calmed down by now, though he still clutched the Akatsuki coat of Kisame with a slight shake of fear. He was too smart for his own good much like Neji, not knowing what the criminals wanted with them. Naruto gave a clueless look, not understanding Neji's fear and busy focusing on the fact his parents would soon be revealed.

Gaara looked nervous but didn't want to send his only two friends to their deaths alone or without help. Neji was nervous as well with Gaara, not willing to sacrifice Hinata's life despite his growing resentment to her side of the family. The promise of not having his brain abused was also an added hope. Hinata slowly inched towards Itachi, who lifted the little girl up in his arms. Neji slowly moved to stand beside Itachi, nerves hidden as he walked by the teen back to Konan. The woman sighed, this would be fun to explain to Pain.


	2. No Refunds

They soon arrived at Amegakure, though the gates did not open immediately as they normally would for Konan. She stood, holding Hinata in her arms with Neji by her side. She had to admit, it was cute how protective he seemed of her. Sasuke had dragged his feet the entire way beside Konan on her other side, as far away from Itachi as possible. Gaara put himself beside Naruto, the two boys making a subconscious wall between the other members and their friends. Kisame and the other Akatsuki members kept their distance, not interested in unnecessary drama before they got home.

One of the many gate guards looked down from the watchtower, calling down through the rain "Lady Konan. Who are the young ones with you?" he questioned politely to the village's second in command.

She looked up, calling "They are guests of Pain and future citizens of this land. You can come down and do your search if you wish, i know it's the protocol to keep everyone safe." she permitted. The man nodded and used a water jutsu to ride the rain down. The children seemed interested enough in the technique, too busy watching his movements to question it as the man turned them in circles, checking for weapons or any threats.

All except for a select few. Sasuke jolted back as the man went to take hold of him, only being able to be searched due to his freezing as he tended to do when afraid. Gaara's sand had quickly reached out to lash at the man as he tried to search him, only calming down when Naruto held his shaking hand. Hinata seemed nervous but allowed it with the only objections being her cuddling further into Konan's coat.

Soon enough they were inside, the children shivering a bit at the rain. They quickly noticed everyone was wearing jackets and continuing on as though it were an everyday thing, and Naruto was the first one to speak. He tugged on Kisame's sleeve, the older ninja quickly reacting to it. He turned to look at the boy, alarmed at the touchiness. Naruto didn't seem to notice however ask he asked "Does it rain a lot here?" head crooked.

The shark quickly relaxed, looking back in front of him. "Yes, it does. Every day except Sundays when the leader is in the village." he easily answered. What he was not expecting, however, was for the questions to continue on.

"Who's the leader? Is it a kage? Is this a different one of the nations? Does he make it rain? Why does it have to rain? How does rain keep you safe? Are you sure you aren't making that up?" his questions babbling on and on as they walked, Kisame giving what he knew which only lead to more questions. 

Unfortunately for Naruto, however, it would seem not even being taken away by a group of people including his parent's killer would shut off Sasuke's temper completely. He made a point of slowing down just to get beside Naruto and kick him "Stop it. You're being annoying, dobe." he glared before heading back on the other side of Konan.

Naruto glared, getting ready to argue back with Sasuke when Itachi interrupted "We're here." the group stopping in front of a large tower. It appeared to be the largest in the village. The children quieted down, slowly entering after Konan used a seal to open the door.

They were met with many reactions-- some humored, some annoyed, and some plain horrified. But one thing all the other members shared on their faces was surprise. Finally, after a moment Zetsu was able to speak. "Oh my." he stared at the young children practically all clinging to Konan.

Sasori sighed and returned to the puppet he was working on at the kitchen table "Great, now we get to deal with a bunch of kids with colds. Lucky us." he spoke sarcastically, shaking his head at the clearly cold and shivering children.

Pain headed downstairs, stopping in his tracks when he saw the children. "No. No. No. I agreed to one little boy, and that was the Uchiha. You can't just drag four random children into the village, Konan. Take them back, now."

The woman frowned at him, holding onto the little girl in her arms "Nagato, you have to listen first. It wasn't my intention to drag home so many, honest. I went for Sasuke but then he was playing with this little boy." motioning to Gaara who stood beside her, teddy bear held close. "He was making a scene which attracted the attention of that one." motioning to Naruto. "Then Tobi said we should just take them with. Kisame said the blonde was definitely an orphan and he had gone on missions before to kill the redhead. So I figure no one would miss them if one is an orphan and the other is trying to be destroyed anyway."

Pain let out a light sigh, orange hair falling in front of his eyes as he tried to calm himself and think clearly. "Fine. That is understandable." only really agreeing because Tobi had indirectly ordered it. "What of the other two? They're Hyuuga."

She nodded "They are. They caught us heading out. The girl wanted to know where the blonde was going and the boy threatened to tell his uncle. Apparently the clan's leader." seeing the look of bafflement from the other members as to why she would bring them, she explained "Itachi made me aware we either had to kill them or take them to keep who took them quiet. He also noted killing them could lead to war among the nations or even a civil war. Since they're both Hyuuga children and one is the heiress. So our only choice was to bring them."

Still unsure, Pain noted "I suppose I can see the reasoning, however, you overlook that they are young and will most likely miss their parents. I don't know who they are but if one is actively the heiress then their parent must be alive to control the clan. Konan, they had parents." he pointed out.

The purple haired girl physically pulled the five-year-old girl into a tighter embrace subconsciously, glancing away "Itachi knows the clan and how they run. He said their father would harshly punish her and force more training on her for even approaching us. Then he also said Neji would be punished terribly for allowing her. Just by the way he said it Nagato. I could hear it in his voice and see it in how the kids moved. They would be mistreated."

Seeing she was physically upset, the man sighed. "Well, not how I thought this would go, but you know just as well as I hurting children is not on the top of my favorite things to do. Let's get them dried off. We have plenty of extra rooms anyway for when partners get into it too deep and have to be separated. Not sure why we bothered going for children when ninety percent of our organization acts like children."

He got a few annoyed looks at that, but the children didn't seem to pick up on it. They were too busy looking around with interest. The other members besides Pain and Konan headed off to do their own thing, Itachi fleeing as soon as he got the chance. He had barely had any time to prepare for this. He only hoped he could still fix this.

They split them up into two groups. Hinata, Neji, and Naruto went with Konan to change. Meanwhile, Sasuke and Gaara headed with Pain to another room to change so it wouldn't be as crowded. They had a few pairs of T-Shirts and shorts they had been planning to let Sasuke use, but now just gave each child a pair.

As they entered their room, Hinata was let down on the floor finally. Konan handed Neji three sets of clothes. "Here, you go with the younger ones and rinse off in the shower. Do you know how to do it by yourself?" she asked gently.

Neji gave her a glare "I am eight years old, I'm a child, not an idiot." his pride overtaking his normal politeness. He headed to the bathroom, the children quickly rinsing off and then getting out. Konan waited by the door to give them some privacy. They came out soon, changed. Naruto's head puffed up on top of his head after it was dried off, much to Hinata's amusement.

Konan sat on her bed, motioning the children over. Hinata shyly crawled over and sat between her legs as her hair was brushed, the girl's hair going just above her ears with bangs on either side of her head. As her hair was brush she smiled thinly, enjoying the feeling while the two boys watched in dread.

Naruto was next, sitting down in Hinata's spot. The moment the brush touched his head however he was squirming. "It hurts-" the little boy whined dramatically despite her not even moving the brush yet. She sighed, noticing how knotted the hair was. Obviously, the kid rarely did his hair. It took a good ten minutes before they were done, Naruto practically leaping away from her.

She looked to Neji, smiling and motioning him over. The boy had backed up, leaning on the wall and looking away slightly in defiance. She tried "Come here, it won't hurt, I promise." she smiled comfortingly. This did little though as the boy only made a slight 'hmph'.

Neji glanced over at her after noticing he was still being looked at, now by Naruto and Hinata as well. "I'm old enough to do it myself. I don't need any help." he reasoned "I do it every day by myself." Hinata turning to look at the older woman and nodding in confirmation.

Sighing lightly, Konan motioned him over "Come here, we already are probably behind the Pain's group. They're probably waiting in the living room, let me just let me do it right quick." she asked gently. Finally, he gave in, going to sit by her so she could brush his hair while he sulked.

Meanwhile, with Pain, there was a lot more emotion involved in changing a pair of clothes than he thought. He brought them into the room, handing them each a pair of clothes. He waited for them to move, so when they didn't, he merely sat there watching the two stared up at him with wide eyes. Finally, he forced himself to speak. "The bathrooms over there, you two just rinse off right quick and get out of those clothes. Then come back here."

Pain had spoken in his normal icy and demand voice, not realizing that it probably wasn't the best idea to do so to a pair of nervous six-year-olds. The two had practically darted into the bathroom, doing as they were told more out of panic than compliance.

About fifteen minutes later, Pain heard a large 'clunk'. He moved to the door, knocking. "You two alright?" he called in a weary voice and, receiving no answer, he entered slowly. He came in to see a few things stacked on top of each other near the window, and Sasuke holding his now bleeding lip. Both were dressed, so he pressed on.

As he came closer to the two children he reached down to pick Sasuke up. Instead, he got his hand smacked away roughly. It probably would have hurt too if it was his real body and not his six paths body. He looked down at the bleeding boy, then over to the nervous redhead as sand floated around them.

Pain frowned lightly, not sure where the boy even got the sand. "You put the sand down." he glanced at Gaara before returning to Sasuke "And you, stand up. We need to fix your lip." he instructed. He heard a panicked mumble and sighed lightly "Speak up, Sasuke."

"I don't want to die." Pain had to do a double take, looking at the little boy with furrowed brows. When had he done anything to make the boy think he was going to kill him? "Please don't kill us." Sasuke didn't normally get so easily scared, but a few months after everyone you've ever loved being killed, he wasn't in his best mind sent.

Pain sighed "I'm not sure where you came to that ridiculous conclusion, but I'm not going to kill you. Nor will any of the others here. Konan, the woman you were with, wanted to have a little one of her own. There are too many orphans to be bringing new children into the world, so we thought to just bring you instead. Things got out of hand, and well now you're friends will be staying here too. We aren't going to kill you."

Sasuke rubbed at his eyes "But big brother is here and he- he-" the Uchiha did what any six-year-old in this situation would do. He clung onto Pain, eyes watery. The man quickly became uncomfortable with all the sobbing, quickly giving his shoulder an awkward pat before trying to calm the boy down with 'Shh.' or a few times a blunt 'Quiet.' He was not made to deal with kids.

Slowly Sasuke calmed down, though his lip now stung with salt from his tears. Pain moved to quickly patch the boy up, Gaara looking them over with interest. At one point the boy reached out to poke Sasuke's lip, interested in the reactions. Anything leading to or coming from pain always interested him, since he couldn't get hurt.

They came out of the bathroom after a bit, Pain not thinking to brush their hair. Instead, he cleaned Sasuke's tears up before heading out to the living room. Konan came out soon after he did, the two older ninjas having the kids line up on the couch. The kids looked happy enough, besides Sasuke's still slightly nervous look and Neji's slightly annoyed look. The clothes were meant for Sasuke so they were a bit big on Hinata, and a bit tight on Neji. They would need to go clothing shopping soon.

Hidan leaned back on the couch, pointing his scythe casually at the children, who moved back reflexively from it to press against the couch. "So, these are the kids, huh. Guess you got what you wanted, Konan. You'll be the fucking mother of the year with all these kids you're stuck watching over." he laughed.

Deidara rolled his eyes, asking "So we just going to keep calling them 'the blonde one' and 'the Hyuuga' or do they have names?" he asked with a look towards the kids. Konan sighed at him, as she was just getting to that.

"I was just about to have them introduce themselves, be patient. You all tell them who you are, and no threatening them. They'll be under the care of the Akatsuki so if any of you hurt them you'll be under my boot faster than you can blink."

Kisame smirked at her "Protective already, eh? Well, I'll tell the guppies exactly who I am." glancing at the kids. "I'm Kisame, and partner to Itachi. And yes, I am part shark due to a jutsu I used. Hence the shark-like appearance." he went ahead and answered the question blooming in all the children's heads.

"I'm Sasori. I'm partnered with Zetsu. I create puppets and use them to fight." he spoke, keeping things to the bare minimum. He noticed the redhead grow interested at the mention of puppets and mentally chuckled. Probably not thinking of the same type of puppets, kid.

Hidan spoke in a bored tone, holding his scythe on his lap now. "I'm Hidan, a worshiper of the god Jashin. My partner is this dumbass, Kakuzu. I'm immortal because of my worshipping. I use my scythe to beat the shit out of my opponents." noticing Konan's glare he added "I also swear too fucking much. So ignore the bullshit that comes out of my mouth unless instructed otherwise."

Deidara rolled his eyes at Hidan and turned to the kids "I'm Deidara, and for some reason, I'm stuck with Tobi as my partner. I'm an artist, I use the mouths on my hards to put chakra into my clay sculptures so they explode. I have the explosion release." he showed the kids his hands. Mixed reactions came from them, Hinata squeaking and covering her face while Neji covered her eyes for good measure. Gaara looked interested, along with Naruto. Sasuke looked grossed out.

Zetsu took their silence as a moment to speak "I'm Zetsu. I'm partnered with Sasori. I have two halves I can split into, but usually, stay as one." he spoke quietly, not one for being overly excited and making a show out of saying a simple hello.

Finally, Kakuzu took a moment from his time to greet them. "I'm Kakuzu. I'm partnered with Hidan and am Immortal much like him due to the fact I have multiple hearts. I don't like kids, so stay away from me and my room unless you have to." he warned, much to Konan's annoyance.

Pain sighed at them, shaking his head. "I am known as Pain. I am the leader of this organization and the city you are in, along with Konan as my partner. This is the Akatsuki, a group working towards eternal peace. If you need anything and Konan isn't around, come to me."

The kids nodded to this, Konan taking that as her signal to go. "I'm Konan. I lead the city and organization with Pain. I use a paper technique as you three saw so my body is made of paper most of the time. You all are here because I wanted a child of my own, and I happen to get five times as many children as I thought. I'll try to help you with anything you need, but if I'm not there just go to Pain. Know that no one here is permitted to harm you, so if anyone does then come to me."

Itachi was beside Kisame, leaning back comfortably against the chair. He decided to get it over with, knowing every word out of his mouth was one Sasuke would hate and not wanting to be the last to speak. "I am Itachi Uchiha. I am a genjutsu master as well as a user of the Sharingan. I am partnered with Kisame."

His younger brother had refused to even listen to him speak, the other members noticed. "I'm Tobi! Tobi has a mask because Tobi likes masks and sweets. Deidara too! Tobi loves Deidara, he's my partner. No one can guess what's under my mask!" he laughed childishly, nuzzling against a disgusted Deidara.

Hinata and Neji both blinked at him as if asking if he was serious. In union, they both answered "Sharingan." the room when silent, the few who knew Tobi's true identity unsure how to fix this while the ones unaware blinked in confusion. Tobi was completely quiet and watching them. Shit.


	3. Nice To Meet You

The room went silent before slowly Deidara glanced at his partner "I knew I had a good reason to hate you." he muttered. Tobi stood after a brief moment, going over towards the now nervous Hyuuga who had picked up they had misspoken.

Tobi leaned down by them, Hinata reflexively hiding against Neji as the masked man spoke, "Ah yes, I forget my cousin clan activates their abilities much earlier than we do." he smirked under his mask, quickly coming up with a way to flip this all around. He stood up and returned quickly to his more childish appearance. He waved his fingers at his fellow members and explained "Tobi is a very good boy. Tobi made nice with Itachi so Itachi made nice with Tobi."

He spoke, as though that explained everything when in reality it only left the others with more questions. "Tobi's clan was full of meanies so Tobi said he would go. Tobi went and found Itachi. The clan was boring to Itachi so Tobi said it was okay to get rid of them."

Sasuke's face turned to one of pure rage at this though he stayed quiet, biting his tongue so he didn't say something he would regret. He dug his nails into his legs to keep quiet. The Akatsuki seemed satisfied with this however, the ones who didn't know of Tobi's secret identity assuming he had been kicked out and got Itachi for revenge. While the ones who did know quickly realized this was a convenient lie to keep him covered.

Once things calmed down, Tobi skipped over to his place by Deidara, sitting down beside him. Deidara looked like his bad mood had doubled, crossing his arms in a bitter sign of annoyance. The Hyuuga children were just glad no true trouble had come of it and no one seemed mad at them. They made a mental note to keep their mouths shut about anything they saw using their special eyes, not wanting any trouble to start.

Itachi said nothing of the Tobi revelation as he had been one of the few to know of his true abilities. He, Kisame, Pain, Konan, and Zetsu had previously been the only ones to know but at least now they had a good cover-up. He steered the conversation back in the right direction, knowing this needed to finish soon so he could have a moment with Sasuke. "You were about to have the children introduce themselves." he reminded Konan calmly.

The woman nodded, turning to the kids. She motioned to Sasuke, silently telling him to go first. The little boy, not wanting to share too much with possible enemies, muttered "Sasuke Uchiha. Six years old. Sharingan."

The other members had expected him to be much different. They knew he was six and in an odd situation, but it was hard to imagine someone related to the proud and strong Itachi would be so nervous. Itachi made a note of this as well, remembering how happy and carefree the little boy had been only a few months ago. Had it been then when he was asked, Itachi was sure he would be jumping up and down explaining how tasty tomatoes are or how disgusting sweets were to him.

Naruto was beside Sasuke, and he was quick to introduce himself with a carefree attitude. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I'm six too. My favorite thing is ramen and my least favorite thing is Sasuke." he smirked over at the ravenette who moved to swat him over the head for the comment. Naruto yipped, "Teme!" covering his head.

Pain watched the body, quieting down in contrast to the many comments made by the Akatsuki about the boy being 'too loud' or the occasional 'well he has a fire'. Uzumaki? He hadn't seen anyone from his clan for years, and never had he seen a blonde Uzumaki before either. Their hair was nearly always red, it was one of their dominant traits throughout the clan. He wasn't expecting this boy to be an Uzumaki, as their clan was also dying out slowly.

He glanced at the redheaded boy who was holding his bear close at all the noise. If anyone, he would have guessed he would be one due to the red hair and hidden power. Yes, Pain could sense a large amount of power coming from both him and Naruto. Perhaps brothers? Pain broke up the chatter as he looked at the smaller boy. Too small, in fact. He looked sickly. "And who are you?" he prodded.

Gaara answered in a voice none of them were expecting. It was like a gentle rasp, his words coming out slowly, "I am Gaara. I'm a member of the Kazekage clan. I'm six as well." was all he said. This caught Sasori's attention. A member of the Kazekage clan?

Hidan asked "What's that supposed to mean? A Kazekage clan? There is only one kage for a village at a time. I haven't ever been to the hidden sand village besides for a select few missions but wouldn't it be run like every other village, with the leaders being voted on?" he questioned the little boy.

The boys teal eyes watched Hidan as he spoke, shaking his head back and forth "The Kazekage is voted in but it's an age-old tradition for my family to become the Kazekage because of our magnet release." he explained quietly.

Pain asked wearily "So then that would make you the main candidate to become the Kazekage one day. Why would someone order you dead if you're so important to the village's survival?" he asked. He had no way of knowing how much the question would hurt the little boy to think about until he saw the light veins appearing in his eyes which he easily hid from the others.

"I have an elder sister and elder brother, Temari, and Kankuro. They will take control of the village instead. Temari is really good at using weapons and Kankuro is a puppet master. So one of them will just take over and when they have kids they can just go back to using the magnet release like we always have." Sasori suddenly understood why the boy had held a look of recognition when he spoke of his puppets. He must have been thinking of his older brother.

Now understanding, Pain nodded. They all noticed the marking on his head which had the symbol for 'love'. No one commented on it, however, just as no one spoke about his sand. There was a lot surrounding this boy, but he looked ready to snap if he was asked anymore. So they moved on to the next introduction, much to Gaara's relief.

Attention turned to Hinata and Neji, the Akatsuki waiting for them to introduce themselves. Neji spoke first since Hinata was quietly leaning on him and waiting for him to go first. "I am Neji of the Hyuuga clan. I'm eight and serve as the bodyguard for Lady Hinata. I have the Byakugan." silently sending out a warning not to mess with his younger cousin, much to the amusement of the older ninja.

Kisame raised his brow at the bodyguard information, as he was once a bodyguard for his village's top secret information. He was one of the youngest in the bodyguard department, and even then he was fifteen at the time. This little squirt was an official bodyguard? He doubted it. "Lady Hinata? Sounds important. Shouldn't they have someone a bit older guarding someone with such a high title?" he pointed out.

Neji glanced at him, blank silver eyes a bit unsettling to the missing-nin as he was watched. "Her bodyguard needs to be around her age to help strengthen a sense of loyalty. That way when her life is threatened the guard has no issue in giving up their life," he explained easily.

Kisame nodded in understanding, smirking a bit. Maybe he and this kid could get along after all. Finally, it was only Hinata left, so the little girl remained laying against her older cousin's side. "I'm Hinata of the Hyuuga clan. I'm five and also have the Byakugan. Neji-Nii-San is my protector and teacher." she smiled, glad at her lack of stuttering.

The Akatsuki nodded, looking at the youngest of the group of children. They could tell she was shy, which would be something they weren't used to since most of the members were either dangerously quiet or annoyingly loud. It didn't take long before Sasori sighed "Its nearly 9:00 pm, the small ones are probably tired, and me personally I'm hungry. So we should probably get dinner going. If memory serves me right, it's your turn to cook tonight Itachi."

The older Uchiha nodded, and soon the ninja all dispersed. Kisame headed to his room which was shared with Itachi, needing to get a few things sorted out from their last mission together. The members of Akatsuki shared rooms, Pain claiming it would help them knit closer together so they would work better in fights alongside each other.

Sasori got up, heading to clean his puppets up off the table. After a moment of hesitation, Gaara followed Sasori into the dining room. He stayed at a distance, watching the older ninja clean up. Eventually, the sand ninja looked up to see Gaara watching him from a few feet away. At first, he was unsure of what to say, not used to being around children. Though, if this kid would be living with them, he knew he couldn't just ignore him for years to come. "Hey, kid." he greeted.

Gaara approached slowly, holding onto his bear tightly as he looked at the puppet on the table. Gaara looked like his emotions were conflicting, his eyebrows wavering slightly much to Sasori's confusion. The little boy's hand shook, as though trying to shove back emotions. Sasori asked, stopping the cleaning of his Kazekage puppet, "Hey kid, what's wrong? I thought your brother used puppets too? Are you frightened?" he tried.

Sasori's hand came down to touch the boy's shoulder, though his sand quickly blocked it off on reflex. Gaara held onto his bear tightly, pointing at the puppet with an almost confused look. "Grandfather?" he looked up at Sasori. The older redhead quickly realized what was wrong, and moved to glance between his puppet and Gaara quickly.

"Oh, that's right, with the sand village the Kazekage title is passed down through the family that would make him your grandfather. Oh, here, don't be upset." he panicked slightly as Gaara grew more confused. He could tell he was more confused with his own emotions than why his grandfather was made into a human puppet. He did the first thing that came to mind, and that was to activate the puppet. He had the large item stand up in front of Gaara, the boy looking up at it in slight awe.

Gaara himself was having a hard time other than the obvious reasons. He reached his hand up to touch his head where the symbol 'love' was. He could still remember the day he put it on himself. To represent the fact he was a demon who only loved himself. After all, it had only been a year or so since his uncle had died, dropping the bomb on him that no one could love a monster. Gaara had no idea why he felt a tinge of sadness at seeing the puppet. After all, he had never seen or met him, the man dying before Gaara was ever born. He had only heard stories of the man's bravery and loyalty to his village.

He supposed it would have to be due to his older sister's stories about how great he was, nothing like their father. Kankuro had even shared a brief few stories of the older man. Gaara may have been disconnected and have more hatred in him than most adults, but that didn't mean he had been able to fully throw away his emotions just yet as he wanted to. Gaara moved forward, hugging the puppet around the waist. Sasori watched, hesitantly moving to use his puppet to stroke the boy's hair. He was surprised to see the sand not blocking it.

Gaara soon enough let go, wiping his eyes to prevent any building tears from falling. Sasori quickly sealed the puppet, going over to look at the younger sand ninja. He was curious about where the hell the sand was coming from and why he refused any physical contact, but if there was one thing being in the Akatsuki taught him, it was that everyone has their own demons to handle. He wouldn't force it out of Gaara. After all, it wasn't like he himself would be sitting down with Pain any time soon to talk through his abandonment issues. "Come on. It smells like Itachi is almost done with dinner. Let's set the table."

They headed off to do so, Sasori just glad the kid hadn't been more rash and thrown a tantrum. After all, if he saw his grandmother made into a puppet when he was his age, Sasori would have lost his shit. They made the table, not in any rush since the others were preoccupied.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

After they had all split off, Naruto had decided it was best to wander around to get to know the place which was apparently his new home. He checked out the first floor and found that a majority of it was the living room, bathrooms, kitchen, and dining room. He then headed upstairs to see that was where most of the rooms were located. After being shooed out of more than one room he became aggravated, moving on to the third floor. He was surprised to find a large library style room, bookshelves upon bookshelves lined up on the walls.

He smirked as a thought flew through his mind. A dork's, specifically Sasuke's, fantasy. Naruto noticed a large bed in the center and walked over to it. He pressed against it, tilting his head. Was this a bedroom or a library? He got up on the bed, only finally spotting the other man in the room. He sat with his back turned to Naruto, in a chair which faced the window. Naruto slowly got up, inching towards the man. He came up beside his large chair which looked out onto the village, asking "Who are you?" since he hadn't seen him in the house previously.

The man was deathly thin, his bones easy to see through his body. He had a pair of purple eyes which Naruto didn't recognize either. His red hair was swept to the side, the man's body so still Naruto wondered if he was dead. Finally, he got an answer. "I am Pain. You shouldn't be up here, young one. I assumed you would be getting to know the other members." he commented.

The younger Uzumaki pouted a bit "I thought the guy with the orange hair was Pain?" he asked with confusion. "I tried saying hey but they just kicked me out of whatever room they were in." he sulked looking up at the older male who gave a dry chuckle to that. "Are you okay?" he asked after a moment of the man going into a coughing fit.

Pain nodded a bit, wiping some blood from his mouth as to not scare the boy. "The orange haired male is one of my six paths. Think of them like puppets I can see and walk around as." he explained, turning his head to the boy "They'll warm up to you eventually. Just give it time." he assured the boy. Shaking his head lightly he added, "I'm fine, just a bit sick is all."

Naruto nodded lightly and thought for a moment before suggesting "Maybe cough drops will help. The man who took care of me when I was little used to give them to me and then I wouldn't be sick." he smiled as the idea popped into his head.

The older Uzumaki smiled tiredly at that, slowly moving his hand to pat the boy on top of his head. "I'll try that. Thank you, Naruto." he praised though knew his issue was a lot bigger than a cold. He asked "So you're an Uzumaki you said?" seeing the nod from Naruto, Pain commented. "I'm an Uzumaki as well. I've never seen one with blonde hair. Normally they have red." he noted.

Naruto smiled excitedly at that "Really? You're an Uzumaki too? I've never met someone else with the same last name before." he leaped up and down in excitement, much to the older man's amusement "I dunno why I have blonde hair but I'll be finding out soon. Kisame promised if I came with them he'd tell me who my parents were."

Before Pain could say anything, Konan entered. Seeing Naruto she frowned, going over to them. The boy frowned back at her as she approached. "Naruto, what are you doing up here?" since the boy just shrugged, she sighed and turned to Pain. "I'm sorry Nagato. I didn't know he was up here disturbing you." she apologized, noticing how tired he seemed.

Pain waved it off as he excused it, "He wasn't disturbing me. We were just speaking is all." he assured his friend. Seeing a light nod from Konan, he smiled to her thinly. However, both quickly noticed the frustrated look on Naruto's face.

"First the guy with the orange hair is Pain, then he's Pain, now he's Nagato, why can't you people make up your minds." he groaned in annoyance. Konan smiled at the boy with a light shake of her head at his childishness.

Pain waved him over, and the boy obligated. "Pain is what I go by. Nagato is my real name, but only my close friends get to call me that. Would you like to call me Nagato?" he offered, unsure why he had taken a liking to the boy so quickly. Konan also seemed surprised at the offer but said nothing as Naruto quickly nodded in excitement.

Since the little boy rarely had any friends, he was eager whenever the chance to form a bond came. Naruto asked happily "You'll be my friend?" unused to such offers due to the villages dislike for him. He never knew why he was disliked, but he knew he was by the parents and then that hate went onto the children. So to have someone who didn't seem disgusted by him was a miracle to him.

The older Uzumaki nodded lightly, unable to say no to the small ray of sunshine. Konan smiled at the two, glad they seemed to be getting along. "Well, dinner is probably almost ready. We should head down Naruto. Nagato, I'll bring you a plate when it's done." the red-haired man nodding as he heard this.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

Neji and Hinata had ended up sitting beside each other on the floor of the bedroom which Konan had shown them as Neji's. Since there were exactly five rooms for in case half of the ten member pairings needed a break from each other, there were exactly enough for the children. Though, now it looked like Deidara would have to get over himself and room with Tobi now that the spare rooms were taken.

Neji and Hinata were playing Miss Mary Mack. Neji was speaking slower since Hinata wasn't exactly the quickest as speaking, even if it was a game they had played for over a year since Hinata learned to speak in full sentences. "Miss Mary Mack Mack Mack All dressed in black, black, black. With silver buttons, buttons, buttons, all down her back, back, back. She asked her mother, mother, mother, for 50 cents, cents, cents, to see the elephants, elephants, elephants, jump the fence, fence, fence. They jumped so high, high, high They reached the sky, sky, sky. And they didn't come back, back, back 'Til they smelled pie, ie, ie!"

They continued on playing it for a bit, Hinata too shy to speak to the other members and Neji still unsure of their new 'home'. They played for a bit, and luckily no one came to bother them. Neji honestly hoped no one would go after Hinata as he would have to protect her and he really didn't think he could lay a hand on any of these men or Konan. It never even occurred to him that he technically wasn't being forced to protect her anymore.

It was odd, the idea of his curse mark no longer affecting him. It almost seemed unreal. So he shoved it aside, not willing to face this life-changing truth. Soon enough Konan came in with Naruto, the woman waving him and Hinata over. "It's time for dinner. Let's go you two." she smiled a bit as they scrambled to stand up.

They came over by her, nodding a bit and heading towards the dining room. Itachi was setting the now full plates down on the table, Sasuke helping him. Though, they noticed, the boy didn't look like he was doing it for fun. No, it looked more like Itachi had asked him to help and he had been too scared to say no. They all sat down, and they were lucky the table was one of those old fashioned ones which were long enough to fit an entire clan into.

Itachi had made an omurice for everyone, which the older members quickly ate without complaint besides a light scowl from Deidara. Sasuke also ate it quickly and quietly, along with Neji and Gaara. Hinata tried to eat the large omurice, but it kept slipping off her fork and onto her plate since she couldn't get too good of a hold on it. Then when she did, it was hard to bite into the large egg.

After a bit of watching her struggle, Neji sighed quietly, reaching over to cut it up for her. Itachi noticed that and made a mental note to cut the food up for them. Neji, Sasuke, and Gaara were old enough they knew how to do it themselves but Hinata didn't seem able to grasp it quite yet. Once her omurice was cut up she ate it much easier, smiling at her older cousin who seemed to ignore her after he helped with the food.

Plates were quickly cleaned, all besides Naruto's. The boy had made quite the mess, using his chopsticks to go through and remove every single vegetable Itachi had placed within it. Naruto ate the egg and rice however, only leaving the greens on the side of the plate. After all, he was used to eating ramen and maybe at best some takeout sukiya. He hadn't had a real meal like this one in...well...ever as far as he could remember.

Dinner went by in silence, the members usually talking about their latest kill or mission but not sure it was a good idea with the kids listening. Then the kids said nothing as to not break the silence, or being too distracted with food in Naruto's case. Dinner came to a close at last and Kisame got the dishes, Konan heading over to the side of the table where the kids had been eating.

She lifted Hinata up, Neji quickly joining beside her on reflex. Konan smiled thinly "Come on you four, let's get to bed." she spoke, confusing the kids as to why she said four. Until that is, Itachi came behind Sasuke. He set a hand on the little boy's shoulder, which twitched in response.

Itachi looked down at his fidgeting little brother, speaking in a commanding voice "Follow me to your room. We need to speak."


	4. Bed Time

Sasuke followed Itachi towards his room, silent with his head dropped and hands shaking a bit. He had glanced over at Neji, looking to see what he should do. After all, the Hyuuga was the oldest of them. So Sasuke figured he would know what to do. Unfortunately, Neji looked just as lost as the Uchiha in terms of what to do. Neji watched as they split off into separate rooms, giving Sasuke an apologetic and unsure look.

As they got into Sasuke's room, Itachi picked him up. The six-year-old gave a slight screech, kicking at his brother in surprise while swinging his fist at him rapidly. Itachi hadn't actually touched him since the day of the massacre when he had striked the younger one. Sasuke was quickly let go of and put on the bed, the ravenette backing up until he was on the far side of the bed away from Itachi in a defensive stance.

Watching his younger brother go into a panic for a moment, Itachi sighed. "Sasuke, calm down. If I wanted you dead, you would be dead," he warned lightly. The younger Uchiha slowed his retreatings, but still found himself unable to stop shaking like a leaf. He had been in shock that night when he came home, and now that the deaths and what his brother had done were allowed to synch in, he felt the effects of his fear ten-fold.

He knew Itachi said to harvest his hatred, but he was too busy panicking to focus on the hate he felt for his older brother. Itachi raised a hand to motion Sasuke closer, but all he got was a raised arm to cover his brother's face. "Please, no, I'm not ready yet. It's only been a few months. It wouldn't matter how much I hated you, there's no physical way for me to be ready to fight you yet. I don't even have a properly developed Sharingan yet. I didn't even know I had it until Neji told me two months ago!"

Suddenly realization hit Itachi, and he sighed. The boy thought they were going to fight using their Sharingan in the bedroom. Itachi reached over, putting a hand on his brother's head. "You really are so very foolish, little brother. I wouldn't waste my time allowing you to live if it was only to come back and slaughter you a few months later. Nor would I tell you to build your hatred without allowing you time to foster it." he added.

He moved two fingers to motion the younger over once more, "Now, come. I did not predict you and I meeting again so soon nor under such odd circumstances. If you would like to hear the truth behind that night I suggest you sit down over here."

The younger one seemed hesitant but followed his older brother's orders, moving to sit beside him. He grimaced as Itachi began stroking his hair. "W-What truth? You killed everyone. What more is there to say." he crossed his arms lightly and looked away. Itachi would chuckle, if not for the seriousness of the situation.

"Sometimes I wonder how accurate your IQ scores were, Sasuke." he shook his head back and forth with a slight smile. "Highly gifted indeed," he muttered, but seeing Sasuke's face he knew his attempt as loosening the mood wasn't a success. He sighed "You really must look at things from all possible viewpoints Sasuke. The world is not all black and white. I did what I did to protect you."

Seeing the look of disbelief on his younger brothers face Itachi prepared to speak, giving his half-truth. He couldn't tell him the full truth just yet, after all, Itachi still had a mission to do and he couldn't risk Sasuke spilling it on accident. He had lied to Sasuke originally as he wanted him to be seen as a hero by the village when he killed his older brother, but now that he had been taken and was to be around other criminals for years he would have to forsake the plan.

"The clan was going to hurt you, Sasuke." seeing the slight eye roll he elaborated. "Sasuke, you are a second born Uchiha. You know this, but not fully what it means. Haven't you ever noticed how few of the other families in our clan had second born, and if they did they were treated just like the second class as you were?" he pointed out.

Sasuke glanced away, nodding slightly. The boy resisted murmuring out a sarcastic reply, listening as his older brother spoke. "Sasuke. Do you remember my friend Gisei? How he 'never returned from his mission'? Sasuke, he was a second child and his older brother had just gone blind. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

The younger Uchiha looked away, shaking his head back and forth quickly in denial. He crossed his arms, shoulders shaking slightly. "Mother and father wouldn't do that to me. They loved me." he clenched his jaw lightly. Itachi sighed, wrapping his arms around the younger lightly.

Sasuke felt his brother pull him closer, and ducted his head lightly. He growled "You're lying to me. Even if father didn't spend time with me a lot he wouldn't do that to me. Mother wouldn't let him." though it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself than Itachi. Sasuke glared as he moved his fist against his brother's arm "You're just saying that because you don't want to admit you killed everyone! You killed aunty and uncle, even the other people in the clan you didn't even know! How could they possibly be responsible for what would have happened?"

Itachi could sense the fresh hatred from his brother and sighed. He rubbed his temple and sighed "Sasuke, now isn't the time to throw a fit. I had to end them too because otherwise, the tradition would have continued for years to come. I had to save you and the future generations who would meet the same fate. Think back to that night, and don't block out the parts that don't make sense or are too painful. Remember everything. Meeting these realities is the only way to move forward."

Sasuke still didn't seem to believe him, but he also at least had quieted down a bit. He sat with his head lowered, eyes clenched in confusion. Finally, the boy gave in, murmuring "I'm tired. Go away." not wanting to think on it any further but knowing he had to. His head hung low, not bothering to fight it when Itachi lifted him up, sliding him under the covers. He needed time to think, after all, you couldn't always just accept the truth right away when the truth was so bitter.

The older tucked him in, running a hand over his head gently before turning to leave. As he was just about to leave, he felt a hand grasp onto the back of his robe. Turning to look down at his younger brother, who glanced away slightly as he asked, "You wouldn't do that to me, right? You wouldn't make me give up my eyes?" he questioned quietly and tiredly.

Itachi watched his brother, allowing a hint of a smile to grace his lips as he promised "Never, little brother." shaking his head back and forth. Sasuke nodded a bit, slowly turning over to sleep as his older brother left the room. He had a lot to think about, but he supposed he would have to sleep on it as he was just too tired at the moment.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

Konan set Naruto to bed first, the blonde practically leaping onto the large bed. Luckily he had no distaste for her as she tucked him in, the young Uzumaki finding it much more comfortable than his old bed in the apartment the village had given him.

After Naruto had nuzzled into the bed, Konan asked "Is there anything you need before bed? Do you need to go to the bathroom or anything?" she asked, trying to think of anything he might need before she left. The boy shook his head back and forth, smiling. Her features were much softer than usual as she asked: "What are you so happy about?"

The nine-tails holder grinned as started pointing to each of his fingers as he spoke. "I got to hang out with Gaara and Sasuke-teme all day, plus Neji and that one girl. Then I got to eat whatever that was at dinner, and now I get to sleep in a big bed. Not to mention Kisame said he was going to tell me who my parents were soon, and I got to meet someone else from my clan. Oh! Then I also got to meet you, and everyone else." he smiled.

Konan nodded thinly, watching the little boy's excitement slowly ware off into drowsiness. "I suppose it has been a good day for you. There will be many more so come, I promise. You must sleep now, however. You don't want to be tired for tomorrow."

Hearing this the blonde nodded, slowly drifting towards sleep. Then it was on to Hinata. She had told the girl to wait in her room, so she headed over to where the girl was waiting for her.

Hinata sat on her bed, hidden under the sheets and silently watching the door. Seeing Konan she smiled shyly, looking up from her spot in the bed. Konan moved to tuck her in, and the five-year-old had no issue with this. Konan sat her down in the bed, stroking over the little one's head. Konan spoke quietly as to not startle her, "Did you have a good day, Hinata?"

She wanted to know how today had been for them all, after all, if they were going to be staying with her she needed to know if they were happy or not. Hearing the slight 'Mhm', she frowned a bit. The young Hyuuga didn't look particularly upset, but she did seem a bit sorrowful. "What's wrong?" Konan asked gently.

Seeming almost startled by the question, the blue-haired girl looked down slightly with a fluster. "I-I'm sorry," he spoke quietly. "I-I was just wondering how Hanabi was doing," she admitted. Since there was no way for Konan to know who this was she added, "Hanabi is only a baby. I'm her big sister, I'm supposed to protect her." remembering her mother's words before she had passed only a month or so after Hanabi's birth.

Konan frowned at this, not aware the other child was so young. She thought for a moment before suggesting "How about this. I'll ask Pain to send someone over to check on her every week or so and we can tell you how she's doing." figuring she could ask Pain to send one of his six paths as a spy.

The younger girl seemed thrilled at this, nodding quickly. "Y-Yes please." she agreed easily. Hinata just wanted to make sure her sister wouldn't receive the same amount of pressure and disdain from their father as she had been. Konan smiled at the girl, kissing her forehead before heading out to Neji's room.

The older Hyuuga was in the room just beside Hinata's. His lights were turned off as she entered and he was already under his blanket with his back turned to her. She stayed quiet, closing the door without a sound.

Finally, there was Gaara. The young redhead sat in his bed, shifting sand into different shapes as Konan entered. Gaara's sand quickly dropped, sweeping so it pressed against his mattress. Konan came over and sat down by the boy. "Gaara, why don't you put the sand away for now? You don't want to sleep in it, you'll get itchy." she prompted.

The boy quickly shook his head back and forth "I need my sand or I can't sleep." he persisted, not wanting his mother's will to leave him. That, and he needed protection in a place so unknown. Seeing Konan's nonbelieving look he continued "It's true, I won't get any sleep without it because it keeps me safe. If I'm not safe I won't sleep." he tried to explain despite it being hard to describe for him. "Plus I can't make it go away. It stays where it wants."

Thinking it was only a case of a young ninja unable to control their powers, Konan suggested "You could let go of the jutsu for a bit? I promise no one will hurt you here." she assured the slowly frustrated six-year-old.

"No! I mean I really can't let go of it. It isn't a jutsu it's a part of me. It's like my skin-" he was now breathing slightly heavy, growing upset at his inability to explain. Konan tried to touch his shoulders to calm him down but the sand quickly moved to cover his shoulder in a protective layer.

Konan settled for shushing to try to calm him down, which eventually worked as the boy relaxed a bit. "Alright, it's alright. Just lay down and get some sleep. If you need your sand it's okay." she tried to relax the boy. Seeing he wasn't going to sleep with her still there, she slowly left once he seemed comfortable enough.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

Pain headed down the halls once everyone was asleep, checking over everything to make sure it was in order. The halls were quiet until he heard a soft grunting. He had never had this issue with any of his members before, so he went to check the rooms of the children. First, he peeked into Sasuke's room. The boy's face was contorted into pain, but he was biting on his knuckle to avoid any noise. It was clear he was having a nightmare. It didn't take but a few seconds for Pain to feel a sensation on his foot, and he looked down to see he had set off a capture trap on his foot.

The clanging of metal immediately woke Sasuke up, the teen's Sharingan activating to see past the darkness. Spotting Pain, who stood watching him with an unimpressed look on his face, Sasuke glanced away in slight shame of the trap he had been unable to resist protecting himself with. Even if he couldn't defeat any of them, he wouldn't go down by being killed in his sleep.

Pain took it off his ankle easily and turned around to leave. "Setting traps is wise when you're in a new area, however, I doubt any of the other members would be as appreciative to having their leg nearly chopped off." getting ready to reclose the door when he commented. "Also, if you have nightmares often, it's not a good idea to keep things quiet at your age. Go seek help from Itachi or Konan. Sleep deprivation will only lead to a weakened state the next day."

He didn't wait for the boy's reply, moving on to the younger Uzumaki's bedroom. Opening the door more wearily now, he was glad to see there were no traps. The young boy laid sprawled out along the bed, snoring slightly. He didn't see anything that would make the grunting noises so he quickly moved on to Neji's bedroom.

Opening the door he quickly sensed something was wrong. The boy on the bed didn't appear to be moving an inch and there was no chakra signature. He headed over quickly, not sure what the matter was. Turning the boy over he also felt no heartbeat. He wasn't sure what to do and began shaking the boy until suddenly he puffed into a cloud of smoke.

Pain parted his lips in understanding, moving on to the next room where he assumed he would find Neji. Hinata's room. He opened the door and quickly spotted the eight-year-old under the sleeping girl's bed with a pair of shuriken. Quickly the weapons went flashing at Pain, though the man caught them with ease.

Neji's eyes widened at how easily his weapons were caught, almost as though he had thrown them to Pain. The man came closer to him, kneeling down to stare the young boy in the eyes. What he was not expecting, was for Neji to practically fly out from under the bed and start attempting to strangle him. The older ninja easily stopped this, but the commotion had woken up Hinata.

Seeing her cousin attacking Pain she immediately backed up, jumping down from the bed to go into the farthest corner. Pain frowned at the miscellaneous clawing or attacks Neji gave, catching his arms as the young Hyuuga tried to hit his chakra points. Pain held him down, watching him struggle as he spoke. "I was just coming around to check on everyone and saw your clone. I went looking to see where you were, that's all. I'm not trying to fight or kill you two. Calm down."

Neji finally calmed down with an aggravated look once Pain pointed out "If I wanted either you or her death, you would be dead. Just relax. It's the middle of the night, you should be in bed resting. Come now, both of you into the bed. I don't mind you staying with her but you both need some sleep." he commanded.

Hinata slowly complied, but only once Neji headed into the bed hesitantly. Pain watched as the two cousins laid down, Hinata curling up a bit against Neji's chest. He wiped the dirt from his Akatsuki robe and lightly scowled before leaving the room, not in the best mood after having multiple weapons thrown at him and having to fight off an attack from an eight-year-old. "Now no more fooling around. Get to bed as you should have an hour ago."

Finally, it was to Gaara, the only one he hadn't checked yet. He supposed that was where the growling and grunting was coming from. Opening his door, the man was quickly proven correct. The little boy's sand was up in the air, swishing around almost aggressively. Gaara himself was a whole other story.

The boy's left half was completely gone, replaced by a possum-like image. The possum looking half held a large grin, while its body looked like it was made of clumped sand. The claws reached up to claw at Gaara's right side, quickly waking the boy up as sand went to cover the spot which was being attacked. Gaara's teddy bear was discarded off to the side of the bed, a claw mark sunk into its stomach and stuffing spilling out lightly.

Gaara sat up quickly, the boy's grunts and hisses escaping more freely now as he clung onto the sheets. "N-Nnn!" he gasped out trying to silence himself as he noticed the older in the room. Quickly, Pain activated his rinnegan to take over the tailed beast's will. It was a bit difficult as he had only heard of the technique, but he eventually pulled it off. The beast slowly subdued, Gaara's eyes widening at the disappearance of his beast.

Pain noticed the slight shake to the boy and came closer. "Little one, are you alright?" he questioned wearily. Gaara's sand was floating around them lightly, as if in a warning state towards Pain. Gaara looked up at him, hands still covering his mouth in an attempt to keep his cries silent.

After a moment of composing himself, Gaara finally reacted. He backed up a bit, the sand forming a protective layer over him. Pain watched as the boy completely refused to answer him, his eyes only steadying in on him in a weary way. When he reached out to touch the boy, his sand would only move to block him. He sighed, not able to help the boy at all it seemed as he refused to even allow Pain the chance to touch him.

After a few tries, Pain stood and headed towards the door. "Get some sleep and awake me if that beast comes out again. Third Floor," he commanded before heading out of the room. Honestly, these bare academy aged children seemed to have bigger trust issues than half the Akatsuki.


	5. Good Morning, Starshine

The next morning, the Akatsuki woke up as normal. The children weren't making too much more noise throughout the night beside the few incidents where Pain quickly put a stop to them. Even then it was barely any noise-- just a few traps he stepped in, the puff of smoke from the clone, the small attempt at a fight, and Gaara's demon being released. After being confronted by Pain, however, they must have known better than to make any more physical traps or start anything else. Plus Gaara's demon was away for the night and he planned to take advantage of it to get some sleep.

It was their normal waking time, around 7:00 am, and no one had woken them up. They all got up to head downstairs, besides Tobi who headed upstairs to Pain and Konan's room. He slipped in just as Konan was preparing to leave, his posture less relaxed and more rigid as he looked to Pain. "You saw the beast last night," he noted.

Pain's six paths nodded a bit, and Konan gave a puzzled look since she had been asleep. "That child will be of great use to you one day. As will the small blonde one, he holds the ninetails though he doesn't know it yet." the masked man commented.

The older Uzumaki nodded a bit "So this was the abnormal chakra I sensed when he was standing close to me. I'm sure one day these children will have no issue ending their power for our cause. Though, it is now going to be a tedious step finding a way to extract their tailed beasts without killing them."

Waving a hand dismissively, Tobi dismissed it. "The time won't be right for many years. Over time you and Konan can gain their trust then use it to get the tailed beasts event the cost of their lives. They'll be teens at the time of the extraction so they'll be more vulnerable emotionally. This could work to our advantage."

Konan frowned at this, Pain's face hardening as well. "We will not take their lives in the process, Tobi. There is surely a way to extract the beast without killing them, there just hasn't been the proper research done yet to figure out how," she commented, already growing attached to them.

Tobi wasn't convinced there was any other way but decided to allow them time to get more invested in his plan. After all, he had only offered them his assistance a few months ago, it was no surprise they still weren't totally in row with his values. Hopefully, he could build on the next few years and use their hard work during this time as an excuse to have them not give up. The only real risk was them growing too attached, but surely they weren't foolish enough to turn against him.

"Very well. You have ten years until the plan goes into action, perhaps you will surprise me and find a way around it. Just don't grow too attached. Though, if you won't make the sacrifices needed to protect this world then I will. Remember that." he warned, turning to leave the two other ninjas.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

As he left Konan to let out a breath, glancing away. She would need to start as soon as possible if she wanted to keep them safe. Just as soon as Gaara found it easier to lower his shield. "I never would have imagined the villages would place those monsters in children. They're so young. Now I understand why Gaara tried to strangle Tobi when he called him a little monster down at the park. He didn't see it as a nickname, he saw it as an insult. Oh spirits, and they didn't even tell Naruto. The poor boy has no idea."

Pain nodded a bit "I wouldn't be surprised if they faced a lot of mistreatment from the villagers. It's really just two extremes. Either they would be admired by everyone or shunned by everyone. Based on how small their friend group is I would guess shunned. Though, at least it lets them know who their true friends are." he noted.

Konan sighed, sitting down on the bed and looking over at him. "We'll just have to find out how to extract the beasts without killing them. We'll also have to work on reversing whatever damage was done to them at the hands of the village. But they aren't the only ones."

Seeing the look of prompting from Pain, she explained "Sasuke is skittish and untrusting. Neji and Hinata are nervous and defensive. Good in general, bad for the mental state. I can only guess it would be due to clan reasons for both. Sasuke for having a person he trusted spit in his face while the Hyuuga for being mistreated in the clan. I'm not sure for what, but Itachi mentioned it yesterday."

Pain nodded a bit in understanding. "I see. Yes, being defensive at all times is good when in a fight or around enemies but over time it wears away at a person's mental state. Twice as fast the younger someone is. Being truly mentally insane in battle won't work out well not to mention it will damage them even out of fights."

After nodding in agreeance Konan mentioned "I had a conversation with Hinata before bed last night. She was crying. Apparently, her sister is only a baby and she was worried about her. Hanabi was her name I believe. She was really upset about the idea of not being able to protect her from here. So I said I would ask about you sending out one of your six paths to keep an eye on her so she could stay updated."

"I wouldn't mind if it eased her mind. That child isn't like any of the others here. She's timid and...sweet. She hasn't been stripped of her innocence yet and I would like to keep it that way as long as possible. Soon. Soon enough we'll live in a world where little girls and boys aren't forced to handle this all."

Though Konan wasn't completely on board with his plan, she would always follow him as they were family. Besides, even if it was harsh, hopefully, it would be like tearing off a bandaid. Only a few short years of unimaginable pain then the world would be free. They heard a knock at the door, and Konan opened it. Naruto stood in front of the door, smiling up at her. "Kisame said it's time for breakfast," he announced.

The purple-haired woman smiled, Pain coming over to them as well. "Alright, lets head downstairs. Thank you for coming to get us." she praised the happy little boy before they headed downstairs. Everyone else was at the table, so they took their seat next.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

Breakfast passed by quietly, besides the small sound of Hinata gently letting her feat swing as they dangled and the scrapping of eating utensils against plates. Pain took a quiet breath before starting the normal mission calls he gave as they all ate. "Alright, today's missions. I know on the last day there has been a lot of excitement but we must continue on."

Seeing the understanding nodes from his members he began. "Konan, I need you in the village taking any complaints the villagers may have as usual. Zetsu, you will split in half and be around the gates." seeing the nod from his left side and look of annoyance from his right he continued.

"Deidara and Tobi, there is a scroll I need you to send to an important official. It's the reminder for the money he owes. Make sure he understands all the details." avoiding flat out saying they needed to rough the man up in front of the kids.

Receiving a nod of excitement from both, he moved on. "Sasori, I need you to go with Hidan and Kakuzu to meet with some men in a shop called 'The Jasmine Dragon'. They'll fill you in on what needs to be done once you get there."

Itachi and Kisame waited for their mission, and both were a bit startled as Pain spoke casually. "Finally, Itachi and Kisame. You two will need to take care of things here since I'll be away for the day on a mission in a smaller town nearby." seeing the look of distaste from Kisame and light sigh from Itachi he narrowed his eyes.

"Don't get pissy with me. Itachi has the most experience with children and Kisame you don't seem to have an issue with children." he added casually as the dishes were cleaned up, "Besides, you two will need the practice."

At this their faces dropped, knowing exactly what they were hinting at. While being teased by the other Akatsuki members for their closeness was nothing new, nor was the idea that they were together, normally Pain and Konan stayed out of it. Itachi's eyes swept away while Kisame grunted in annoyance. A few snickers came from around the room from the older members, while the kids only blinked in confusion.

Sasuke, sitting right beside Kisame on the edge of the children's group, glanced up at Kisame curiously. After a moment he couldn't resist asking any longer. "Does that mean you're pregnant? I heard boy sharks can get pregnant," he spoke, surprisingly blunt for him.

Kisame's eyes widened as his head whipped around to look at the younger Uchiha who didn't see anything wrong at all with his question. A few loose snickers came from the older members, while Hinata tilted her head in confusion. "Pregnant means you're a mommy, right Neji-nii-san?" she asked curiously to the older boy who's faced was brimming red from the snickers he was holding in. When the older Hyuuga nodded, Hinata looked over at the mist ninja in confusion. "He doesn't look like a mommy."

Quickly Deidara took the chance to pipe in "Least we all know who the father is." he smirked, receiving a glare from Itachi and Kisame both. Pain sighed with a slight smile, he hadn't meant to turn this into a full-on verbal thrashing for the young couple who seemed convinced they hid it well enough. Though, he couldn't say he felt guilty.

Kisame moved quickly to slam his fist to the table "I'm not pregnant, damn it! Shut up, all of you before I get Samehada and make you shut up." he commanded, Itachi standing to remove himself from the situation rather than get in trouble for putting Deidara in another Tsukuyomi. Good luck, Kisame.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

As everyone dispersed to do their missions, Kisame sighed. He sat on the couch with Itachi by his side, the Uchiha reading. The children all sat in the living room floor for a bit, chattering idly. That lasted for about ten minutes.

Sasuke was the first to stand up, heading to his bedroom. Kisame raised a brow and called out "Kid, where are you going? We're supposed to be watching you so sit down." he frowned, Sasuke's expression quickly mimicking his.

The younger Uchiha crossed his arms in annoyance, used to being able to go where he pleased. Before the clan's death, because his father and mother couldn't care less where he was as long as his academy scores were up and he wasn't misbehaving. Then, of course, these last few months because there was no one to tell him what to do. "Don't be so dumb, fish brains. I doubt watching means to literally stare at us for the entire time they're gone."

Itachi sighed lightly as he noticed Kisame getting ready to turn this into a full-blown argument, commenting without looking up. "Sasuke, don't be so rude. Calling me names is one thing but calling complete strangers by insults based entirely on their appearance is wrong. Kisame, don't take him so seriously. He's just a kid, and he isn't used to being watched much."

Sasuke, glanced away in annoyance at the light scolding, Kisame snorting a bit but letting it go. The Uchiha headed off into his room to work on a few basic shuriken jutsu. He figured the wall would work just fine, after all, that's what he had been using at home since his target broke from overuse.

Naruto asked curiously, jumping up to sit on the couch beside Itachi. "Sasuke calls you names?" he asked curiously since he thought brothers were supposed to care about each other. "I thought brothers were supposed to be nice to each other?" he asked tilting his head.

Itachi smiled lightly in amusement. Ah, the struggle of explaining the odd angle to one who doesn't have siblings. "Yes, I believe his favorite was always, 'big fat liar' after I ran out of time to teach him something." shaking his head back and forth lightly. "It's hard to explain to someone with no siblings. It's like you and Sasuke in a way."

Seeing his puzzled expression he explained "Sasuke and you are good friends, aren't you?" seeing a nod he pointed out "But you two argue and fight all the time from what I've seen. That's what it's like to have a brother or family member you're close with. You fight, but you'll always be there for each other. I'm sure Neji and Hinata don't always get along. Or I'm sure Gaara had a few issues with his siblings. The rivalry is part of having a sibling."

He glanced at the two younger boys looking for confirmation, Neji and Gaara nodding quickly in agreement. Neji explained "Like how I really hate the main family. They're mostly a bunch of jerks, but I still for some reason have a connection to them which makes me care. Like Lady Hinata. It's because we're family." he explained, adding 'lady' on habit.

Gaara nodded in understanding "Or as I told you with my elder sister or brother. They're scared of me but I still wouldn't kill them unless I needed to. Like Neji, I don't particularly care for them anymore but still, some ties are hard to cut."

Naruto just looked more confused now. "I don't get it. Why would you want to cut ties with your family? Wouldn't you be sad?" he asked. Itachi sighed lightly and pat the boy's head. He could see why he would be so confused at them not wanting what he craved his entire life for.

"It's hard to explain. Perhaps you'll come to understand what we mean after staying here as a member of our Akatsuki family." he noted on second thought "Well, hopefully, we'll be bareable enough for you to not want to cut ties with us." he noted.

Naruto slowly leaned over Itachi to look at Kisame, who had been listening in on the conversation. Naruto gave him a look too innocent for his face, and Kisame knew easily what he wanted. "Later. It's not something to be said in front of other people." the mist ninja waved the boy off, much to his dismay.

Naruto settled for huddling up next to Itachi, watching him read. Itachi felt a wave of familiarity at this, as Sasuke had always loved curling up to his side while he read. Gaara ended up beside Kisame, the redhead holding his bear which had a decent-sized hole in its stomach but not enough stuffing to the point it overflowed unless he squeezed it. Normally Gaara's uncle would stitch it, but now that the man was dead there was nothing to do but try asking Sasori. After all, he used puppets, so maybe he would know.

Gaara would steal glances at the man's sharp teeth, interested by them as he sat by him but not huddled to him like Naruto was to Itachi. Hinata had ended up on Itachi's lap, the girl wanting to be held again. After all her mother had only passed barely a month ago, so she was still in need of some attention. Her mother had been the one to keep her safe and coddle her with attention so of course, she needed someone to fill the void. Neji naturally had moved to sit between Itachi and Kisame, wanting to be close to his cousin.

This was the sight Sasuke was met with as he left the bedroom an hour or two later. They had all fallen asleep, besides Gaara. Sasuke made his way over, practically shoving Naruto off to the side to take his place nuzzled under Itachi's arm. Naruto growled at first at being woken up and shoved onto the floor, "What's wrong with you Sasuke, I was sleeping!" he demanded.

Sasuke only gave an annoyed 'hn', choosing to ignore him. Kisame was confused at first along with Itachi at his brother's actions, but he quickly realized why the six-year-old had shoved Naruto off to the floor. Kisame smirked widely, his teeth showing as he watched the youngest Uchiha. Itachi as just as surprised until he realized what the odd look in Sasuke's eyes was. Jealousy. Sasuke was jealous at how closely huddled Naruto had been to his big brother. Of course of Hinata too, but he didn't want to start anything with the prodigy boy two years his senior. Besides, who could hurt someone as sweet as Hinata?


	6. Welcome Home

The day went on calmly for a while, Sasuke not saying much to Itachi but no longer sending glares of hatred towards him every chance he got. Neji stayed by Hinata as usual, while Naruto stuck with Gaara. Overall they had a good day, staying relatively quiet until the members started returning home. Hidan, Kakuzu, and Sasori were the first to return. The kids quickly scattered away or closer to Itachi and Kisame, not too sure about the zombie combo.

Sasori headed to the dining room, summoning his puppets to do some work on. A few had been damaged in their last mission, the owners of the shop having ended up needing some higher-ups killed for their protection. He sighed and sat down, beginning his work quickly. About fifteen minutes in, he noticed Gaara approaching with an almost shy look on his face.

The boy climbed up, sitting in the chair beside Sasori silently for another ten minutes as they worked. After a bit, Gaara looked up at the puppet master and asked "Sasori-San?" getting the older man's attention. He stopped working on his puppets to look at the younger.

"Yes, what is it, Gaara?" adding in after a second "Also you don't need to use honorifics here. None of us do to each other, anyway. Well, besides when Itachi scares Tobi or Deidara anyway." he smiled lightly in amusement, trying to ease the child's obvious nervousness.

Gaara lifted up his bear from under the table after a moment and Sasori could see the large gap from what looked like claw marks across its stomach. The stuffing was pushed in best it could be, but some still popped out. "Shukaku broke it last night." he murmured hesitantly.

Quickly Sasori recognized Shukaku as the one-tails. He was stunned for a moment before reaching out to take the ripped toy. "A-Ah. Alright. I can fix it for you. You said Shukaku did it?" he asked the little sand boy.

Gaara nodded hesitantly "It came out when I was asleep and I accidentally hit him." his eyes were trained on Sasori and he noticed something quickly. The boy wasn't scared of rejection as he thought, but rather of him saying no to fixing the toy. Which Sasori couldn't help but find odd.

He shook it off and quickly began working to fix the stuffed bear, which already had many small lines where he could see it had been stitched back together. He asked lightly, "So you're a jinchūriki for the one-tails then. That must be difficult to control." he commented.

Gaara nodded a bit and sat, watching him stitch up the toy he had owned for years. "Sometimes." he agreed, though his voice was strained. He clenched onto his pants since he couldn't hold his bear at the moment for comfort.

Sasori asked "When did it get placed inside you? It's a lot to deal with for someone as small as you." he noted, knowing he himself could never handle it. "Why not wait until you were older?" he added, not looking up from his sewing. He wanted to understand this boy better. He was interesting. 

His eyes flickered, silently grimacing. "Just before I was born, a week or so before. The Kazekage was short on budgets so he needed me to keep Suna's power levels up."

Sasori raised his brows, asking "He stuffed a demon in his own son, or rather, wife? I'm sure she wasn't too happy about that." he noted. "Seems like the man definitely had a thirst for power," he added, none too gently.

Gaara took his bear quickly as Sasori finished and shook his head back and forth. "She didn't like the idea of putting a monster inside another monster." he easily agreed and seeing the light raise of Sasori's eyes he held his now fixed bear closer to him.

"You don't look like a monster. And trust me, I've seen some monsters. It could easily be argued that most of the members in this group are monsters. Though, I doubt she meant in the sense of your personality if you weren't even born. Your physical appearance doesn't look terribly mean either." he noted.

Shaking his head the boy explained what his father had told him many times as well as what his uncle told him on his death bed. "She was dying because she was pregnant with me. I killed her. Monsters kill people." Sasori didn't interrupt him as the boy spoke. Obviously he wasn't used to speaking about it as he paused a moment. "That's why she named me Gaara. It means 'Demon fighting for only himself'."

Sasori frowned. By the sounds of it, if they hadn't taken Gaara in with them the boy probably would have shown up a few years later as a new member of the Akatsuki himself. He asked lightly "Is that why you have that marking on your head, did she give it to you? What's it mean?" he asked, not having ever seen the symbol but it looks almost like the symbol for love.

Now leaning a bit on the table, hugging onto his toy he shook his head back and forth. "I put it on after I accidentally killed my uncle. See, it's a mix of the words love, demon, and myself. So it means 'demon who loves only himself'."

Hidan, who had been listening in on the conversation, hummed and waving his scythe around lightly. "How the fuck do you 'accidentally' kill a man probably years older than you? Killing isn't anything to be ashamed of, you know." Sasori glared lightly, motioning for him to shut up.

Gaara shrugged, having gotten over killing his uncle rather quick once he realized he wasn't loved. "He snuck up behind me to kill me, and my sand went out by itself. It squeezed his life out," he explained crooking his head. "What do you mean by not being able to do it by accident? I do it without meaning to all the time."

Gaara noted to himself it was odd, being able to talk about the deaths he had caused without having the other person shrink away in fear or mock him in hatred. He decided he likes it. "Tsk, that would suck doing it unintentionally. Where's the fun in it then." the worshipper huffed, pulling out a drink from the fridge.

Looking baffled Gaara asked "It's supposed to be fun?" seeing a smirk begin to appear over Hidan's mouth, however, Sasori quickly interrupted the boy's inquiry to the psycho. After all, he didn't really like the idea of Gaara going on purposeless slaughters. When Sasori killed it was to gain more puppets or make a lasting statement. He didn't want Gaara to go killing people for no reason, wasting possible future allies or art subjects. Besides, as he said at the beginning, he doubted it would be good for the boy mentally.

"That is a matter of opinion. Personally, I don't think so. It's wrong to kill without a purpose such as leaving a lasting mark or protecting yourself. Or to work towards a goal. But you're still only six, you shouldn't even know what it's like to hurt someone besides maybe pulling someone's hair or perhaps some shoving. You still have a few years to add on before you're ready to handle the mental backlashes of killing anyone. You said it's your sand that does it, perhaps we can work on controlling it some time. I don't have the magnet release like you do, but I am still a sand ninja so maybe that will help." he offered.

Hidan looked annoyed at being cut off and moved to his room with annoyance. Gaara was unsure about accepting help due to his promise to never allow himself to think he was cared for after his uncle but reasoned with himself that he didn't need to care or be cared for to learn from the older sand ninja. He nodded in agreement after a moment, after all, being able to control it would be nice.

Sasori smiled to the boy, reaching out to lightly pat his head. Unfortunately, his sand didn't seem to trust Sasori yet as it blocked him quickly. He didn't lose him smile. Perhaps, in time, they would be able to grow close enough for that.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

Next to arrive home was Tobi and Deidara, he two enterings in quietly. Deidara stomped off upstairs, muttering about not watching to spend another second with the 'stupid Uchiha'. Tobi, on the other hand, flopped down on the couch next to Itachi, who held Hinata on his lap with Neji and Sasuke on his sides. Hinata had been glancing over at Sasuke for a while now, and finally got the courage to speak with him. She had ended up having a nice calm talk with the older boy, while Neji eyes Sasuke suspiciously as if daring him to upset her.

Tobi laid out on his stomach, swaying his legs back and forth as he playfully spoke "Ooo~ Itachi's going to make a great daddy." he laughed, the younger Uchiha glaring at him in warning to shut up. Tobi covered his face and falsely whimpered "Tobi is sorry Itachi-Sama! Tobi is a good boy!"

Itachi rolled his eyes, returning to the little girl in his lap and the two boys by his side. He hadn't been this close to children in what seemed like forever. He had rarely even held Sasuke this close since a year before they were split apart. The little boy had been going through that phase where he was 'strong' and 'a big boy' so he didn't need help. The few exceptions being the many times he was so worn out after training with his big brother he had simply let him carry him home. Not that Itachi minded.

He had missed being looked up to or seeing affection in the eyes of children. All he ever saw anymore was fear, like when he went to other villages when the parents would instinctively pull their children closer. He was glad to have his little brother back, then even more so to have Hinata and Neji with him. He had last seen them on Hinata's fourth birthday, Neji being seven at the time.

Itachi, as the son of the head of the Uchiha clan, had been invited along with his father, mother, and Sasuke. He smiled thinly to himself, remembering his brother's dislike for the situation. Their father had explained to Sasuke that he needed to be nice to Hinata, and try to make friends with her.

That had not gone over well. Sasuke had complained about it the whole way there, saying he didn't want to hang out with a 'baby'. Given, Sasuke had only been about two years older than her, but that didn't register in his five-year-old mind.

Sasuke had spoken to the little girl, though his original plan of showing his annoyance for being forced to do so had melted when he saw how scared she was and the intimidating man she stood behind. Likewise, to how Sasuke felt about Hinata, Itachi remembered also Neji's reluctance to be around Sasuke for his age.

His trip down memory lane was interrupted however as he noticed the three children staring up at him. He straightened up and his smile faltered, asking calmly "What is it?" much to the children's amusement.

"You were staring at us and smiling. It was getting kind of creepy, Nii-san." his brother murmured lightly, smirking at him. It was as though Sasuke was treading on ice, testing to see if his brother really was serious about them returning to their old bonds. He wasn't sure though, so he had been adding in small nudges all day.

Itachi shook his head back and forth at his brother, knowing exactly what he was doing. "I was just thinking about how much you've all grown. I remember a time when you refused to even look at Hinata let alone play with her. Or a time when Neji wouldn't spar with you because you were 'a baby'." he smirked. "Now at least you can hold a conversation."

Neji and Sasuke both looked away in the embarrassment of their old tendencies, Hinata letting out a small laugh at the both of them. She looked up at the older Uchiha and explained "Sasuke said he would train with Neji and me next time we have a chance. I and Neji usually do it alone but I bet the Sharingan must be so cool. I've never seen one before."

Sasuke spoke, prided by his family's kekki genkai, "That's because it is cool. My Sharingan is already on the second stage." he explained, activating his eyes which had two small markings within them.

Hinata looked in awe by this, watching his eyes in enjoyment. "They're really pretty." she complimented, making Sasuke blush and shut his own down. They weren't supposed to be pretty. They were supposed to be 'epic', 'strong', or he would even take 'interesting'. But not pretty.

Itachi chuckled lightly at his brother's embarrassment, Neji scoffing "My Byakugan could beat your Sharingan any day. Unlike your clan's weird eyes, ours know our destiny. Plain, simple, powerful Byakugan." he nodded with pride. "I've already mastered mine completely."

Hinata now turned to be impressed by her older cousin, much to Sasuke's annoyance. Stupid Hyuuga.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

Konan and Pain entered in, Zetsu following them. As Pain arrived Naruto practically bounded off his spot n the floor, where he had been looking through one of Kisame's weapon magazines he had let the boy use on the condition he was quiet. Naruto zipped past Zetsu to wrap an arm around Pain's leg, looking up at the older Uzumaki.

Pain had nearly tumbled over, only able to balance himself because of his being in his six path's forms. Once he steadied himself it was hard to be annoyed at the boy as he looked up at him with admiring eyes. Naruto asked with excitement "How was your day, Nagato-san?"

The other members quickly looked to the boy, uncomfortable as they didn't know the boy was given permission to call him by his real name. Normally, only Konan was allowed that privilege. So it was easy to assume the blonde was simply overstepping boundaries without realizing it.

They were relieved when they head Pain continue on without missing a beat "It was good, and you don't need to bother with the honorifics with us." he commented, lifting the small six-year-old into his arms. The boy easily held on, leaning into the older clan member while nodding. Pain asked "How about you? Did you have a good day with Itachi and Kisame?"

Quickly a nod was given and the boy grinned, listing off his enjoyment with his fingers as he tended to do. "Itachi was reading with Kisame by him, and we talked, and Kisame made us lunch, and everyone was happy until Sasuke started being a jackass." he pouted.

Sasuke glared at him from the couch, yelling over "You're just being an asshole!" he resorted, Itachi looking at his brother with slightly widened eyes. When had his brother learned to curse? Itachi lightly backhanded him, Sasuke reaching up reflexively to pout at his elder brother.

Hidan was cackling, while Kakuzu shook his head back and forth along with Sasori. Deidara, Tobi, and Kisame all looked mildly amused, though Konan didn't find it all that funny. Finally, Zetsu, who had both eyebrows raised, broke the silence as he normally did. "Oh my."

Hinata repeated, confused by the words as her clan was typically too respectable and uptight to curse. "What's a jackass, Neji-nii-san?" she questioned, the oldest of the children now looking annoyed.

Neji stopped the ongoing argument which had begun between Sasuke and Naruto. "Both of you be quiet! You're teaching Hinata adult words!" he scolded, the room quickly falling into silence.

Sasuke asked in annoyance "If they're grown-up words then why does Naruto say them? He's even younger than I am." he pointed out scornfully to the older boy. Itachi quickly realized where his brother had learned the words from. Damn it, Uzumaki.

Naruto too grew annoyed "Well Kiba said his sister saids them! She's only thirteen, so they can't be grown-up words. You're just making it up and trying to seem older than you are, Neji." he shot back, and it seemed as though Neji was resisting the urge to punch Naruto by now.

Pain readjusted Naruto on his hip and frowned at the little boy, moving some blond hair from his eyes. "Naruto, those are adult words. Or at least teenager words at the very least. You shouldn't say them until you're older. You, Sasuke, Gaara, Neji, or Hinata. At least until you're thirteen."

Normally Naruto wouldn't give a shit about what he was told to do, but he settled for listening to the older Uzumaki with a nod. He didn't like the disappointment that was clouding his voice, so he easily agreed. He tucked his head on Pain's shoulder, happy the man seemed to let it go rather quickly.


	7. Academy?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a discord server along with a few friends. It's for anyone who writes or reads Naruto fanfic. I figure it'd be fun to have a place to talk. Maybe to share some fanfic recommendations and make friends. Anyway, here's the link if anyone wants to join-- 
> 
> https://discord.gg/yzTgrNd

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

As they all sat down for dinner, Neji found a question nagging in the back of his mind. It had only been two days now since they had been taken, but he also knew the Akatsuki couldn't just keep putting missions on hold in favor of a member or two staying home to watch them. He wasn't sure where they would end up going until it clicked with him he had been missing school.

Now, he knew most would be relieved to not be going to school, but for him, it made him bored. Talking with the others had been fun and all, but he would go crazy if he did that every day. He looked over at the other children when he realized he was the only one actually old enough that he had been in school before this all. His face remained neutral, but he truly did hope they got something more productive to do soon.

As they all were finally seated and food was placed in front of them, they all began to eat. Kisame had made them Tonkatsu, remembering to cut up the pork for the children. He also had a pile of cheese off to the side, so they could sprinkle in on the meat if they wanted. Or in Naruto and Tobi's case, so they could dump it all on the pork. They began eating, Pain starting between bites, "Mission reports."

Sasori started. "Successful. No one saw us. The income of 300000 yen. Clients seemed happy. The only damage done on any of us was to my puppets. Also, the building we fought in had to be destroyed because there were a lot of bodyguards trying to come after us."

Kakuzu nodded in confirmation, Hidan doing the same. "Tobi and Deidara did a good job! Tobi was a good boy and sent the reminder while Deidara made a big bird for us to fly away on so no one saw us! We got 10000 yen extra. Deidara bought Tobi some dango because neither of us got hurt, Deidara's very nice." The masked man spoke with a nod more to himself than to the others.

Deidara was quiet, his eyebrow twitching in annoyance with her partner's attitude, but nodding in confirmation. Zetsu's right side began his report. "Nothing out of the ordinary. No one came to the gates, though we saw a few search parties from the sand village going towards the Land of Fire and Land of Earth. They're looking for Gaara from what we were able to gather without straying too far. There were also two leaf ninja search groups going out to the Land of Earth and Land of Wind. I would guess they're looking for Naruto, Neji, Hinata, and Sasuke. They seem to assume the children have run away."

Sasori, who sat next to Gaara, seemed to notice the boys silent nervousness. Which made sense of course. The boy being the host of the tailed beast would mark him as someone to be watched. If he disappeared, it would make sense for the nations to be alarmed. Those who knew about Naruto also connected these dots, even if the boy didn't know it yet himself. They also knew however that eventually the villages would stop there search. After all, they couldn't use that many resources on missing children. Even if they were the heiress to a powerful clan or the last survivor of a clan.

Seeing Gaara quietly pull his teddy bear closer, Sasori spoke to the children as the other members spoke to each other about further details of there mission. "Don't worry. No one will suspect you're here. They'll be too busy pointing fingers at the other nations, but then let it go to avoid any fights. Then even if they do find out where you are, we'll keep you safe. We're some of the strongest ninjas in the world, after all." he smirked to ease their worries.

It seemed to work, as he got a few smiles from two or three of them. Their mini conversation was interrupted however as Konan addressed them. "So, kids, me and Nagato have been talking and we have a question for you. How many of you have had some sort of education? Whether it be the ninja academy or one on one teaching from a mentor?"

Neji raised his hand along with Hinata and Gaara. Seeing the look of prompting from the Uzumaki, Neji spoke in between bites. "Ninja Academy. I've been going for almost two years now. I've also trained under the Hyuuga clan leader, Hiashi-Sama, and his brother, Hizashi-San." he explained, forgetting he didn't need to bother with honorifics. He noticed looks of confusion over a few of the older members and understood why they would be confused.

After all, the age of ninja graduating or even joining the academy was getting later and later each year now. Not too long ago, ninja were expected to enter the academy by age five and graduate by age ten at the very latest. They had only changed this in more recent years.

"The rules have been changed for the five great nations. You have to be at least eleven to graduate plus pass the exams. You also can't enter until you're seven now." he explained. Kisame almost couldn't believe it. When he was seven, he was graduating and killing off other students to do so.

They let them continue on, however, not interrupting as Neji glanced at Hinata. The girl noticed the attention on her and spoke. "I-I've been training under Tousan." she murmured, adding "Neji-nii-san also teaches me lessons from the academy sometimes."

Hearing the girl speak of her sources of learning, they nodded and decided to move on. She seemed to always look nervous when too many eyes were on her, plus the fact many of the Akatsuki were intimidating looking probably didn't help her any. Gaara spoke now. "I never actually went to the academy but I was given the lesson scrolls to read over and practice when I wanted. I got to the third year scrolls."

The members understood why having by now heard from either Sasori or Kisame about him being the one-tails host. They assumed the school wouldn't want someone so powerful against other students. Even if it was hard to imagine the quiet little redhead who was currently holding his teddy close doing any harm.

Konan glanced at Sasuke and Naruto, asking "I know you two said you didn't have a teacher or go to any classes, but did you ever learn a few spare lessons from anyone over the years?" she asked, wanting to know about all of the children's level of education as of now.

Naruto shook his head back and forth, he had never had anyone take the time to teach him anything. Most didn't think someone like him should even be allowed into the ninja academy. Why he had no idea. Sasuke shrugged "Itachi and tou-santaught me some techniques. Besides that, not really."

Pain nodded in understanding and took a breath as they all finished eating. "Well, I know you all will find this odd, but here in the Land of Rain we do schooling a bit different. Since there aren't many children here, we have one single class. It has all the children in the village in it, ages varying from five to fourteen. You'll all be attending this school starting hopefully tomorrow."

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

That night had been a lot easier for the kids than the night before. Pain had gone ahead and warned the other members of the fact they had laid traps in their room, figuring it wouldn't do any damage to let them feel safer. Sasuke still had his normal nightmares, but that was to be expected. Hinata slept with Neji, the two being much more relaxed. Pain had gone into Gaara's room before he slept, tucking him in and using his eyes to force the beast back for a few hours. Gaara slept better, though not much out of habit. Naruto was about to be put to bed, but rather than Konan, tonight it was Kisame.

The shark-man wasn't great with kids, but he had promised to tell the boy about his family, and he never broke his promises. He laid the boy down on the bed, the blonde looking up at Kisame. He felt a rough hand move to pat his head, and the man spoke. "Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki. Those were your parent's names."

The little boy looked confused, recognizing the name of the fourth Hokage. "Your father was the Hokage and your mother held the nine tailed fox inside her," he added, looking at the little boy. "They died the night of your birth. The same night as the attack of the nine tailed fox. When Kushina died, Minato went out to seal it. It needed a new host. Placing it in a host was his last act."

Naruto felt the man move his hand down to rest his hand against his stomach. Naruto's stomach sucked in from the touch on reflex and looked down. Kisame had lifted his shirt a bit, revealing his seal. He had wondered what it was, but now it became all too clear. His eyes widened slightly in panic as it all sunk in.

The comments of him being a monster. The Hokage's refusal to explain who his parents were. His lack of parents. The nine-tails attack falling right on his birthday. His lack of friends besides Gaara, who he knew had a demon inside him. He felt his eyes well up in understanding, glancing up from his stomach to Kisame. His lip quivered a bit as he tried to hold his tears back. "I'm a monster?" he asked.

Kisame was never one to feel pity nor guilt for things that simply needed to be done. He knew the boy needed to know, and that mastering it from a younger age would improve his power greatly. Though, having said that, he didn't see the point in being unnecessarily cruel about it either. "No. You have a monster in you. You are protecting those around you from it, just like Gaara is protecting those around him by having the one-tails in him. You were never told because it was supposedly the Hokage's last request from the rumors I heard. He wanted you to be a hero instead of shunned. That's why the third made a rule of silence. No one who knew about it was to speak of it. Rules won't stop rumors though."

Naruto couldn't help it. He didn't want to cry, but it was a horrible thing to learn you were holding a monster in you. He lowered his head a bit, letting the muffled sobs leave his mouth. Kisame's rough hand on his back helped only slightly. Neither of them spoke. It wasn't something you could just get over. Naruto would need time to accept it.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

The next morning went by quickly. Pain handed out missions, they ate, and Konan got them ready for class. She started with Neji and Hinata. She woke them up around 6:30 am, figuring she would give them some time. She went over to their bed, gently nudging Neji who quickly woke. The boy sat up, waking Hinata as well. He asked tiredly "School?"

Seeing a nod, he got up and went over to the outfit Konan had got for him to wear to school. It was a simple short-sleeved black kimono with black shorts. It had a band to wrap around the waist so the fabric was pulled back to give the wearer easy combat access. Konan had picked this for all the boys, as it was the school's male uniform. Neji took it to the bathroom, closing the door and quickly getting ready.

Konan pulled Hinata's hair into a short ponytail before getting her ready. The outfit she had for her consisted of a kimono as well, though instead of shorts she had leggings and long sleeves. As she was helping with getting her ready, Konan noticed the girl looked very happy. Konan smiled at her with a nod as the little girl asked "I look pretty like Konan?"

She finished by sliding on the girl's shoes before she sent the happy little girl off to breakfast. Neji soon went after her. Next was Gaara. The redhead had woken up the moment she opened his door. She smiled thinly to him, "Morning. Here are your clothes for the day. Do you need help?" seeing the shake of the head she expected, she handed them over. "Alright. Well, when you're done go get some breakfast."

Gaara nodded to her, waiting until she left to change into the clothing. She woke Sasuke next, who sent her a light glare at being woken up. It was almost cute, really. He groggily sat up and took the clothing, though it was obvious he would rather remain sleeping. He yawned, before standing and getting dressed while she went to wake Naruto up.

It was odd, unlike the night prior, Naruto seemed less excited. The night before at dinner, he had practically been bubbling with excitement, but now he was much quieter as he got himself dressed without a work. She supposed Kisame had gone into detail the night prior as to how his parents died and what was in him. She still wasn't sure letting Kisame do it was the best idea, after all, he wasn't exactly gentle. But then again neither were any of them. She shook her head at her thoughts. All they could do now was hope he was able to cope with it. From what she had seen so far, she believed he could.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

As Konan led the children towards the school, she noticed quite a few looks of interest. Which made sense, of course, no one in the village had actually seen the kids yet besides the Akatsuki. She ignored this, knowing they would get used to it. She stopped in front of a man with long fluffy blonde hair and blue eyes. He wore a green scarf around his neck and a green headband just under his bangs. He wore an orange kimono, the underside white with a black obi. He smiled at them, waving them over slightly. "Konan-Chan! It's nice to see you again. These must be the ninja you were telling me about." he greeted, looking down at them.

His eyes traced over the children as he swiftly did an analysis of them. The redhead looked like he would be a quite but dangerous one. The blonde looked like he had a lot of energy but was in a soured mood today. The ravenette looked prideful but for good reason. The little girl looked shy, hiding behind Konan's Akatsuki robes. Then there was the little Hyuuga boy, who looked him straight in the eye while standing just as proud as the raven-haired boy.

Konan nodded, pointing to each of them as she spoke. "Gaara, Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, and Neji." before turning her attention to the children. "This will be your teacher, Seikatsu. You will call him Sensei. He is in charge while you are under his watch. I'll be back to get you all in a few hours."

She bowed and left the children with the man. Hinata shifted so she hid more behind Neji now as they headed inside. Once they got inside, they glanced around. The room was open, with no desks as Neji was used to. Instead, the students all sat lined up against the wall. Once their sensei entered, they bowed before straightening up again. There was a large combat mat on the floor, a weapons rack against the left and right wall. In front of the room, there was a board with chalk. "Class, we have five new students today." Seikatsu addressed them.

The students all gave bows to their new classmates in greeting. The new students bowed back in turn. Seikatsu wrote on the board as he spoke "We will do as we do with each new class member. After introductions are over we will begin the matchups." glancing at the new students. "In this class we have rankings. You all will square off against each other and the other students to see who is strongest and tell me what I need to know of your abilities so they can improve. Class, introduce yourself."

A male stood up, who looked to be the oldest in the class. "My name is Tsuyoi, though you can call me Yoi. I am fourteen and I specialize in bukijutsu as well as electric based ninjutsu. I am ranked number one in the class." he spoke. He wore the school uniform just like everyone else, his blue eyes firmly watching them as he spoke. His short hair was a dark blue, matching his eyes. He was decently tall as well.

Next, a green-haired teen spoke. His hair was long enough that it was pulled into a ponytail, his left eye hidden under his side swept bangs. His eyes also matched his hair, a dark green color which swept across the new students. He smiled, tall but not as intimidating as Yoi. "My name is Shurui, though I go by Shu. I'm fourteen too. I specialize in kenjutsu with a bit of genjutsu. I rank second in the class as of now. It's nice to meet you."

The pure white-haired boy beside him began. His eyes were a crystal blue, his pale face gentle as he spoke, though his voice was strong. "I'm Amai. I'm thirteen. I specialize in summoning jutsu and a bit of medical ninjutsu. I rank third in the class. It will be a pleaser to learn with you all." he smiled.

There was a slight silence before the next student spoke. He had yellow eyes which looked almost cat-like. Under his eyes were a pair of matching red marks which came down to just above his cheek. His blue hair was much lighter than Yoi's, though still somewhat dark. His voice was quiet but firm. "I am Totsu, I'm fourteen. I use Tonjutsu and some medical ninjutsu. I rank fourth in the class."

A girl with bright crimson hair smiled to Totsu in comfort before beginning. "My name is Kichona, but you can call me Kicho if you want. I'm twelve years old. I specialize in my kekki genkai, swift release. I also use genjutsu. I rank the fifth strongest in the class." she greeted, purple eyes warm.

Finally, it was the boy with the light brown hair's turn. He looked up at them with bright blue eyes, his posture serious. "My name is Hira. I'm ten years old and focus on medical ninjutsu. I rank sixth in the class." a hint of an embarrassed look on his face at the fact he was the lowest ranking.

As Neji guessed, they were all older than them. He decided to start their introductions. "I am Neji Hyuuga. I am eight. I focus on the Byakugan and taijutsu." he greeted them, the older students not too surprised to see he was a Hyuuga as they had quickly noticed the eyes.

Sasuke went next since he figured he was the second strongest out of them. Or at least he thought he was in his mind. "I'm Sasuke Uchiha. I'm six. I focus on my Sharingan and fire release."

Yoi mentally sighed. Why did the new students have to be so young? They knew their sensei had repeatedly told them not to judge a shinobi's ability based on age, but he didn't think he could guiltlessly shoot a six year old full of lightning. Gaara was next, his voice quiet and a bit scratchy as usual. "I'm Gaara. I'm six as well. I focus on my magnet release and sand manipulation."

They all noticed the redhead's sash was a bit different. While their sash had a place for weapons, he had an area to store sand. Next, the blonde spoke. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I'm six too." sheepishly scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah, I have absolutely zero ninja training so I don't specialize in anything."

Their sensei sighed quietly. So he would be starting from scratch with that one it looked like. Finally, it was the girl's turn and she spoke, doing her best not to stutter. "I-I'm Hinata Hyuuga. I'm five. I focus on the Byakugan and taijutsu."

The sensei let out a breath as everyone finished, looking up at the board. He had made a quick tournament so they could get the ranks set up. He hoped these poor children could keep up, but also hoped his older students wouldn't lower their guard too much. You never knew with ninja, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really didn't want to add OCs to this story, but there wasn't much choice since there isn't much canon on this village's children. Hopefully they'll be tolerable.


	8. Class Rank

Soon enough all the children sat beside the older students on the floor. They sat a few inches away, the teens noticed. Most likely nervous to be around kids so much older than them. Seikatsu pointed to the quick matchups he had made on the board. "Alright, since Naruto doesn't have any real ninja training there isn't much point in him participating. So he automatically ranks number eleven. Here are the matchups for the rest of you." he moved to the side to show them.

They all glanced at the board, their sensei motioning to the brackets. "You'll fight tournament style, then out of the first five to lose, I'll rank you based on a skill during your fights. The new students will fight in a section, then the older students in another. Best of the new and best of the old will fight. Then the winner of those fight the winner of Tsuyoi and Shuriu, since you two since you're two of the best in class so far."

They all nodded in understanding. Seikatsu looked up at the board. "First up is Gaara and Neji. Fifteen minutes. You two go on the mat and start. No death blows, but don't hold back more than necessary. Hira is an excellent medical ninja and if he can't heal you then I definitely can." he assured the boys.

Both got up and headed over to the mat, Seikatsu motioning them to start. Neji's eyes activated in a split second, which the older students to note of. None had ever really seen a bloodline limit besides Kichona's swift release. It didn't take long before they were observing Gaara's sand which rose to linger threateningly in the air.

Neji started by trying to send his fist in quickly to strike Gaara's chakra points. Unfortunately, just as he had predicted, the sand blocks him and Gaara didn't even flinch. The sand quickly shot to Neji's body, trying to attack the older boy. This failed however as Neji dodged out of the way.

This continued on, Gaara's sand swinging at Neji effortlessly while the Hyuuga dodged and defended best he could. He spun, activating the Eight Trigrams Palms of Revolving Heaven jutsu. The sand shot off him, making it shoot back in other directions. A bit hit off to the side, snapping against the other's faces.

Realizing this would get him nowhere, he tried to at least exhaust the younger boy. He had yet to move an inch, standing in place while his sand assaulted Neji and protected his own body. As Neji attempted to use his gentle fist, the sand blocked each one and Gaara didn't break a sweat. It was frustrating, and Neji quickly knew he needed to figure a way around this for future training sessions.

His ninjutsu was also ineffective, the boy's absolute defense rendering the prodigy helpless. Once he was too tired to do anything more, Gaara moved his sand to trap Neji's legs, then covering his entire body until he was trapped in a cocoon. He was careful not to squeeze, only restrict. His sensei noticed that and nodded lightly. He had seen all needed for now.

Neji was plenty capable of using his taijutsu effectively and did pretty good with ninjutsu. Though, the boy never once attempted genjutsu. He used a few weapons, but quit once he noticed it was only wasting them. The boy also deactivated his eyes once he realized it wasn't helping any to save chakra. He was resourceful. Good.

On the other hand, Gaara allowed Neji to tire himself out. He didn't move, instead of controlling his sand. He had been made aware of Gaara's demon, though he wasn't sure if this was why the sand defended him or if Gaara was controlling him. If it was the demon, it was dangerous how little concern the six-year-old had. As if he thought he was invisible. Once he had let Neji tire him out he simply locked the Hyuuga up. He didn't move to hurt him, though it looked like the gears in his head were turning.

He noticed to look in Gaara's eye, as though he was trying to fight off something inside of him. Something which was probably telling him to squeeze Neji to death or at least bruise him up. Seikatsu raised a hand, ending the fight just at the fourteen-minute mark.

He didn't want any unnecessary harm coming to Neji physically or Gaara emotionally. "Good job, both of you. Both have things to work on but that will be discussed later after everything else is worked out. Gaara wins this time. Neji, let Hira heal up those scratch marks from the sand then both you sit down. Sasuke and Hinata, you're next."

The older students didn't miss the slight grimace Hinata gave as she stood up with Sasuke and they both headed over. Neji sat beside Hira, thanking him quietly as the older boy healed him swiftly. Sasuke stood across from Hinata, both going into fighting positions before their sensei spoke. "You may start."

Sasuke turned on his Sharingan, while Hinata turned on her Byakugan. Sasuke made the first move, jumping back defensively. He lifted his arms, quickly creating the hand signals for the Clone jutsu. One clone appeared, behind Hinata. Sasuke's clone moved attack her from behind, though it couldn't really do any damage, being a simple illusion. It was enough to distract her at least while Sasuke charged up to land a kick on her side. It hit, but her body jerked hard enough it startled Sasuke.

He hadn't meant to hit her so hard, but luckily he didn't have to worry about it as Hinata did a roll and kicked her foot out to hit Sasuke. He moved back as she stood up quickly, darting over to her. She pushed her fingers lightly over his side, the older boy doubling over in shock of the sudden pain in his side. He felt another pair of hands go towards his back, pressing between his shoulder blades.

He hunched over further and narrowed his eyes with a cough. So she wanted to play it hard then. He did his own roll, his back still hunched as his muscles ached. Gentle Fist. He positioned himself and moved his clone behind her, inhaling deeply. He put his hands up to his mouth before letting the chakra from his stomach rise to his throat. The young Uchiha quickly ran circles around her, not allowing her time to keep up. It was mostly her nerves that were her undoing, the girl unable to calm her breathing enough to focus.

Small bursts of fire came from his throat and an illusionary one from his clone, Hinata panicking and covering her face. Sasuke did his best to create a weak genjutsu, one he wasn't the best at due to his age. Most didn't learn genjutsu until they were at least ten, excluding the Uchiha clan of course. With eyes like theirs which could detail every point of an illusion, who wouldn't use it to their advantage?

Hinata panicked, yipping and trying to wave the fire off as her eyes reactivated out of lack of chakra control. Neji sweatdropped, trying not to facepalm. Had his cousin forgotten her eyes let her see past most genjutsu? Sasuke relaxed, trying to straighten his back to ease the chakra flow which Hinata had blocked off. Their sensei had seen enough and raised an arm. "You two are done. Good job, both of you. Sasuke wins this time around. Hira, heal those two up, please. Careful with Sasuke, it looks like the gentle fist technique. Neji, undo Hinata's work if you would."

Sasuke stopped his genjutsu and Hinata relaxed. They went over to get healed by Hira, Neji easily moving to fix Sasuke's back. Amai crooked his head, lifting his hand as he spoke. "Sensei, what is a gentle fist technique?" he questioned curiously as he had never heard of the technique.

Seikatsu smiled lightly at his curious students. "One of the great techniques of the Hyuuga clan. They touch their opponent's skin, pressing special points on their opponent's body to deactivate organs or chakra points. Anything as simple as a tap on the chest can end a person in the beat of a heart. Literally. A very impressive move. Just like that fire jutsu you used Sasuke. Was that the great fireball jutsu? It looked a bit different than your clan's normal ones."

Sasuke glanced up at him as his chakra points were restored. "I just used less chakra so I didn't burn her too bad," he admitted. He knew he wasn't supposed to hold back much, but he rather not burn Hinata's skin off her bones.

His teacher seemed to understand this as he nodded with a slight smile. "Yes, you only needed to get a small fire burning to send her into a panic so your genjutsu went easier. Smart move." before turning his attention back to the others now that they were healed. "Now, next is Kichona and Amai. You two go ahead and get started."

Amai stood up with Kichona, standing against her until Seikatsu spoke. "Begin." he allowed. Amai took a step back, quickly slicing his palm with his sharp nails. He created three clones to rotate and hide with as he summoned his creature.

Just like that, a decently sized white tiger appeared. It obviously wasn't the king of it's kind, but it also took a decent amount of skill. Kichona had created two clones of her own, each jumping off in a different direction. She moved fast, faster than the children had ever seen. Well, with the exception of Sasuke who had know Shisui of the body flicker. After all, the older Uchiha had been like a second older brother to him.

Sasuke had naturally begun to see quick movements faster after being allowed to sit in with Itachi while he and the older boy trained. Now with his Sharingan, his eyes worked fast. Just barely fast enough to see what she was doing. She was running in circles, sending senbon out to strike Amai. Amai did get struck multiple times, not fast enough to dodge.

He lifted a hand and quickly made the hand signals for a water jutsu. He sent water out in all directions with extreme force, knocking Kichona back from her spot and destroying the clones. His tiger lunged for her but stopped as it stood over her. He had won, indisputably. Seikatsu nodded "Well done. Amai wins this time. Both of you come and let me heal your wounds. Hira and Totsu, you go ahead."

The two stood, making their way over to the mat. Once they got the signal to, they began. Hira darted forward, meeting Totsu in the middle as the younger moved to kick the escape ninja. Totsu moved down, easily avoiding it. He lowered, then rebounded up to press his fingers to the other's throat. Hira gagged a bit, moving to shield his throat reflexively. Totsu used this to his advantage as he kicked the medic in the side.

Hira growled as he was kicked, slamming against the wall. He laid there for a moment as Totsu approached until he was in arms reach. He dragged the older boy down, pinning him. Hira pushed against Totsu's neck, using his medical knowledge to find one of his pressure points. As he was about to move his finger to paralyze him, the older ninja was gone and in his place a piece of chalk. Substitution jutsu.

Totsu put a kunai to his friend's neck from behind, silently winning. Hira sighed in frustration. He lost again. Seikatsu nodded at them. "Good, good. Totsu wins this time. Come and I'll heal you both up. Now for Tsuyoi and Shurui."

Amai watched as the two stood up. He glanced at the younger classmates, "I would be ready to move out of the way or shield your faces if I were you. These two can get pretty caught up in their fighting." he warned lightly. They nodded, shifting slightly and watching the two teens get into battle position before it was called to begin.

Tsuyoi was the first to move, bouncing backward and sending ten or so shuriken out towards Shurui, who lifted his sword to block each of them easily. Tsuyoi darted forwards, meeting Shurui's sword with a kunai block. They rebounded, and Tsuyoi brought a bit of lighting to his hands. It was only a bit, as the lighting was one of the more difficult elements to create. He came from behind, however, pressing his hand to Shurui's back.

The green-haired man hissed, turning on his heel and swinging his sword to slice against Tsuyoi. It hit right on his side, leaving a large slice across his ribs. The blue-haired boy grimaced, but only retreated back. Shurui used his momentary shock from being sliced to rush forward and strike him over the shoulder. He succeeded, but Tsuyoi grabbed his blade which lodged into his shoulder.

Ignoring the blood on his hands which came from holding the blade side of the edge, Tsuyou pulled it away from his opponent. He used his other foot to kick out the green-haired man's knees, using his own sword against him. He put it up to the other's neck, earning him a win.

Seikatsu sighed, having had to protect himself from a few stray kunai as had the others. "You both did fine, but as I have repeatedly told you, stop being too messy with your shots when others are near. Tsuyoi wins again. Both of you come to get healed. Gaara and Sasuke are next. Go ahead."

Sasuke stood to do as he said, Gaara following. The redhead and ravenette started as soon as they were motioned to. Sasuke's Sharingan was activated, looking for any weak points in his sand. He didn't see any, so he would have to make one. His eyes flashed, and he began his genjutsu while lifting his hands to make a shield of fire.

Gaara's eyes flickered over to Hinata as she seemed to have gone into a coughing fit, blood coming from her mouth. Despite knowing it was a genjutsu, Gaara felt his nerves pick up. He couldn't move his eyes away until he forced them shut. He reached up to cover his eyes, knowing his sand would keep him safe if Sasuke tried to strike him while he was doing so.

All the spectators could see however was Sasuke staring at Gaara with his Sharingan while the redhead doubled over slightly in apparent mental pain. Sasuke finally moved, running up to slice his kunai to Gaara. Unfortunately, even without his focus, the sand completely protected him. So that answered Seikatsu's question at least.

Sasuke continued trying to break through, doing anything from creating large fireballs that would have burned the class if not for his carefulness to just trying to break through the sand with blunt force. Nothing worked, not speed nor skill. Finally, time ran out and Sasuke was forced to let go of his genjutsu. "Gaara wins. Both of you did well. Since neither of you are hurt you can sit down. Amai and Totsu, go ahead."

The older students moved to fight as the pair of six-year-olds sat down. Amai began similarly to the last one, the white-haired man summoning his same tiger to fight with him. Amai sent his tiger out on Totsu, though the man evaded each and every time as the beast launched on him.

They worked for a few moments like this until Totsu created the hand signs for a water jutsu. The teen used this water to protect himself while throwing senbon towards Amai from behind the wall of water. Amai dodged this, darting forwards and lodging the weapon into Totsu's thigh. The older teen grimaced, falling down in pain as it had hit a tender spot. He dropped down, the tiger moving to set a paw on his head in a kill shot manner, though not delivering the blow of course.

Seikatsu nodded at them. "Good work. Both of you go get healed up by Hira. Then Amai, you'll be going against Gaara." he instructed. Both did as they were told, Gaara and Amai heading over to the mat as Amai finished healing. Gaara wasn't terribly nervous about his sand shield breaking, though he was weary. After all, this boy had won against two others already.

Amai, on the other hand, was weary, not sure about the sand shield. As well as not sure he felt comfortable launching a full-grown tiger onto a six-year-old boy. He shoved this down however as they began, keeping his guard up. He summoned his tiger back quickly, sending him against the boy if not for harm than to test the sand. It was like he had a bubble, protecting him from ever being touched. Amai had to ask how he did it once this was all over.

As expected the sand protected Gaara, but unexpectedly, the redhead finally moved. Amai frowned, so he could move during battle. He just hadn't needed to against the others. Gaara lifted a hand, his sand forming his Sand Binding Coffin around first the tiger and then him. Once the tiger poofed away, Gaara focused solely on him. His body was now encased in sand, and he found he couldn't move. Seikatsu raised a brow at him "So you just going to sit or are you going to escape?" he asked.

Frustrated, Amai kept his annoyance in check as he spoke. "My chakra isn't working. I can't move." he tried to wriggle out of his prison, and Gaara did, in fact, loosen it a bit. He frowned, realizing if he kept moving he would kill himself with the force of the sand gently squeezing him.

After watching for a few moments as Gaara let Amai struggle in a sand cacoon, Seikatsu sighed. "That's enough. Gaara, you win. You'll spar with Tsuyoi now. Amai, do you have any wounds?" his answer was given as the sand sunk off of him and they could all see the yellow bruising beginning over his body. What crept the older students out however was when they looked at Gaara, he didn't seem to regret the fact Amai practically wobbled over to their sensei to be healed. He even seemed a bit, dare they say, proud of himself?

Though they would be right, he was proud. Just not for the reasons they thought. He had successfully used an attack without killing his opponent. For him, this was rare. He could see the looks of weariness from the older students but paid them no mind as he noticed both Sasuke and Naruto's encouraging looks. Tsuyoi joined him soon, and by now Gaara had returned to his stoic self and hidden his thin prideful smile.

He noticed how tall the other was. It wasn't just the fact he was older, he was tall as well. His shoulders were back in a formal and serious way, his eyes sharp. He was well-muscled, but skinny as well. He was the picture of intimidating. On the other hand, to Tsuyoi, it was odd. The little redhead in front of him was tiny, almost sickly looking. He was scrawny, had bags under his eyes, and he was short even for his age. He just had to remember the child was a threat, especially with how he had so easily beat Amai, who had ranked third in their class.

As they were motioned to begin, Tsuyoi moved to send a kunai at Gaara as forcefully as he could. He didn't try to hide he was throwing it, instead of testing the strength in his barriers. Seeing it easily rebound, the blue-haired male reached up to kick the barrier. Still nothing. He prodded and poked at it, but never got past it. Finally, he tried something new. Instead of throwing weapons, he took his kunai and held it tight.

He hit it against the sand, trying to break through. What kind of sand was this!? He continued on until he noticed the extra sand start hovering a bit. Sand began violently coming at him, almost swooshing like a whip. He had to focus on evading, the boy sending snaps after him quickly. Tsuyoi tried to summon lighting, but the sand wrapped around his wrist to pull them together.

He struggled, but the more he struggled the more it hurt. He continued on, trying to pull his hands away. Finally, he heard his smaller opponent speak. "If you keep struggling, you'll break your wrists." he quietly spoke. Tsuyoi frowned and noticed the yellow swelling on his wrists. He decided to try genjutsu, much like the little Uchiha boy had done earlier to help him.

Tsuyoi manipulated the boy using genjutsu, making it appear as though blood was sleeping from the sand cuffs. He made a point of falling onto his knees and coughing up blood as he still wasn't let go. In the genjutsu he fell to the ground, screaming out in agony before seemingly dying. When he noticed Gaara's sand didn't even lose, he glanced up. The boy hadn't even flinched. He let go of his genjutsu, returning them both to the physical world where they both stood silently watching each other. His hands now had begun to bleed, so he bowed his head lightly with a sigh of shame. He had lost.

Seikatsu shook his head back and forth, speaking finally. "Alright, a good job both of you. Gaara wins. Tsuyoi, go get healed up by Hira please." he commented. The teen did as asked, noticing once the sand was off that his wrists were puffy and bruised. Gaara sat down beside Sasuke on the floor, who nodded to him in greeting and congratulations.

Tsuyoi wasn't a sore loser, though it was odd to be defeated by someone besides Shurui. These new classmates of theirs were interesting, that was for sure. There were mixed feelings about the different students, all but one. One thing they all had in common was weariness for Gaara. Not because of his strength or power, but because of his lack of remorse. It made them uncomfortable, though they tried not to jump to conclusions without formally meeting him.

Their attention was snapped to the board as their sensei spoke. "Alright, here are the new class rankings in order from highest to lowest. Gaara, Tsuyoi, Shurui, Amai, Sasuke, Totsu, Kichona, Neji, Hinata, Hira, then Naruto. Tomorrow we'll be going over the battles. I want you all to go home tonight and think about not only your fights but your classmates' fights too. Think of how you could have done things differently or more effectively. I'll be sending you each home with a packet as well, for the fresh students it will be more basic writing and math skills while you older students will continue what we've been going over. Dismissed."


	9. Home

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

As the class ended, the younger ones headed for the door where they presumed Konan would be picking them up. They all stood outside the school quietly waiting for her as the other's filed out of the room. They watched as Kichona headed out the front gates with Totsu, the other boys sticking around, however.

They soon approached the younger children, specifically Gaara. Tsuyoi stood in front of the much smaller boy, and it was only then that the older students noticed how truly sickly the small child looked. How had he beaten the number one student?

Gaara didn't inch away as he noticed the other move to stand in front of him, instead of looking up at the blue-haired male. Neji did grow a bit nervous at the looming of the older teens however and frowned. He moved so he was between his older classmates and the younger children, a bit of protectiveness coming over him. Sasuke mimicked the movements of his slight rival, so both boys stood to guard in front of the others.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at them while Neji asked "What do you want?" defensively. He noticed the slight frown on Tsuyoi's face as the tall blue-haired male knelt down so he was on their level.

"We mean no harm. I just came to tell you all that your power is impressive. Though, I noticed Gaara's struggle to hid his killing urges." eyes sweeping over to the young boy. "I don't care if you beat me, I don't care if you become stronger than anyone else in the village. But know this, if you decide to release the killing intent on Kichona or any of my friends for that matter, you will have all of us to deal with."

Gaara hid a grimace at that, nodding slightly. Tsuyoi continued, "I'm not threatening you specifically, that stands for all of you. None of you will bring harm to anyone else in the classroom." Shurui nudged him a bit and he continued, "I hold no grudges to you all, it is simply a fact. I hope we can all become friends over time despite the age gap. It's rare for this town to see new faces, let alone so many children."

Tsuyoi's face softened into a smile once his point had been made, Neji and Sasuke remaining between them protectively. Shurui nodded in agreement, "Yes, we don't get many new villagers let alone someone as young as you guys. How did you even get here, and where from? Did your guy's parents all decide to move away together or something?" he questioned with a smile.

Naruto was the one to answer for them, smiling brightly up at the green-haired man. "We're all from Konoha, except Gaara. He was visiting from Suna with his dad for a kage meeting. Then Konan and these other guys came up to Sasuke-teme and Gaara. Sasuke didn't have parents so she was going to take him. But Gaara got mad and tried to kill her for messing with him, and I had to stop Gaara from killing her because sometimes Shukaku gets a little pushy. So then the guy she was with said to just take us all so she did."

He was babbling on and on by now, Sasuke and Neji gaining an embarrassed blush to their faces while Gaara frowned at the talkative boy with a sigh. Here he'd been hoping to keep Shukaku a secret. Hinata glanced over at Gaara with worry, not wanting him to be upset. Naruto seemingly didn't notice a thing, of course. "So then we were leaving but Hinata saw us and was worried we were being kidnapped so she told Neji and he came up to us and told them to put us down because he had to listen to her because she was the heir to the Hyuuga clan so that means she's in charge of him."

Neji glared at Naruto as this point was made, noting he needed to teach the other some educate when it came to sharing other's personal information. "So then Itachi, that's Sasuke's older brother who had disappeared after doing something bad, told Konan they would bring Hinata and Neji along too because the leader of their clan was mean. So then we all were brought here and Konan said she was adopting us all." he smiled.

Amai raised a brow, "Konan-San as in the woman who runs this entire village along with Pain-Sama?" he blinked. "You're saying she pretty much kidnapped you all to make you her children? Won't your parents miss you?"

Naruto shook his head "No, no. I and Sasuke don't have parents anymore. Plus Neji, Hinata, and Gaara's guardians are all a bunch of jerks." he pouted at the idea before adding with a smile, "Konan is super nice and so is everyone else we live with now."

Hira put a hand up to his chin in thought, leaning down as if to inspect them. "I think you're missing the main point, Amai." he rolled his eyes at his friend. "So let me get this straight. You were the heiress to the Hyuuga clan." motioning to Hinata who nodded shyly "You were the bodyguard to the heir so presumably you're a prodigy to the clan." glancing at Neji who gave a firm nod. "You're most likely a prodigy of the Uchiha since from what little I know about the Uchiha, they don't get their Sharingan until usually thirteen or so," he noted looking to Sasuke who gave a light but slightly pained nod. "Then you're presumably the son of the Kazekage and the vessel of a tailed beast?" Gaara nodded quietly at that.

Hira gave a thoughtful look before glancing at Naruto "So were you just in the right place at the right time or do you have some sort of odd little quirk? I'm not saying those reasons I said before are the only reasons you were adopted but it would be likely." he analyzed.

Amai frowned at him, knocking his friend over the head. "Hira, that's rude. They're just kids and are excited to be in a new home. Don't spoil their fun." he scolded sending them an apologetic look for Hira's bluntness.

The medical ninja huffed a bit at the other, glaring lightly to him. "I was just asking. But seriously kid, do you?" he asked with a tilt of his head.

Naruto put a finger to his lip as if thinking before shrugging slightly, "Kisame said I have the nine tails in me, like Gaara but with more tails." he spoke easily, Hira raising a brow. So that knocked out any possibility of them taking Gaara and Naruto for no reason. Seeing the warning look from Amai however, he dropped it.

Neji looked at the younger boy and scolded "Naruto, you can't just go around saying things like that. Gaara can protect himself, you can't. Keep that information to yourself. It'll get you killed." he glared. Sasuke nodded, mimicking the Hyuuga's firm nod.

Naruto only shrugged at them, unaware of the danger he put himself in by speaking of the nine-tails. Hira waved it off as he assured them "Don't worry, none of us have anything against the tailed beasts. Well, Totsu has some bad history with the two tails but he's too timid to do anything and he would never blame a host for its demons doing. After all, it's not like it was you who destroyed the leaf village. It was the demon. It would be illogical to hate you."

Tsuyoi added with a frown "However, your friend is correct. You shouldn't let others know if you can't protect yourself. I won't lie, that might be a while since your abilities are raw. Some people will take advantage of that."

Suddenly the mood brightened however as Shurui got an idea. He smiled, "I know, we all like training at Amai's house on Saturdays. Why don't you guys come to join us this weekend if Konan-San saids it's okay?" he asked with excitement.

Amai sighed at his friend "Shurui, don't invite strangers to other people's house!" he scolded. Honestly, how impolite could his friends be!?

Shurui asked with a pout "So you're saying they can't come over to train with us?" he raised a brow. He knew this wasn't what the other had meant, but it was fun to tease him none the less. Amai's face quickly turned a pink as he glared at the green-haired male.

"That isn't what I meant and you know it. Of course, it's fine with me," he assured them. Neji nodded a bit to the other, knowing they would need to ask Konan first of course. Amai blinked "By the way, the school's been out for ten minutes or so now. We usually walk home but you all can't know your way around town yet if you're so new. Is someone coming to pick you up?"

Sasuke scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, glancing at Neji. Was someone coming to pick them up? Were they supposed to walk back on their own? These fears subsided however as they heard Deidara's voice coming through the school gates. "Hn, brats. We're here to pick you up." he greeted, dango hanging out of his mouth.

Tobi rushed towards them, lifting Hinata up and cuddling her to his chest with a coo "Tobi doesn't think your brats! Tobi loves you!" he assured them. Hinata let out a squeal as she was lifted, Neji reflexively moving to kick the older male in the shins.

The masked man squealed, setting Hinata down in favor of gripping his poor leg. That Hyuuga had some strong legs, damn. Tobi whimpered "Tobi was being nice to Hinata-Chan! Neji is so mean." he pouted, the older children were taken aback. These were two of the men responsible for taking part in raising their classmates? They were so immature...and rude.

Deidara headed over and let out an annoyed sigh "Tobi is also the reason we're late. Just had to get some dango on the way here." he muttered with a shake of his head.

Naruto beamed at this however and looked up at the older blonde "Can we get some dango on the way back? Please?" seeing Deidara's glare he pleaded more, giving him the one weapon he knew would always see him through his childhood. It was on that day Deidara met his greatest--and only in his opinion-- weakness. Naruto's puppy dog eyes. The younger blonde swayed slightly on his feet as he asked "Please?"

Deidara was at a loss, and Tobi watched his partner closely to see what he would do. After all, he needed to keep track of how close the other members got if worse came to worst and he had to extract the demons, killing them in the process. I necessary evil, he deemed. Deidara looked away roughly with an annoyed voice, "You're all so bothersome. Fine. Hn, but don't get used to it." he growled.

Tsuyoi nodded to his classmates and spoke on account of all of them. "Well, then we'll see you tomorrow everyone. Good luck with the school work." he bid them farewell, heading off with the others towards their houses.

They nodded goodbye to the older ones, Naruto looking up at Deidara curiously. He thought for a moment, unsure of himself, before deciding it couldn't hurt to ask. He lifted his arms up and asked with a sly smile, "Up?"

Deidara sighed in annoyance, but was unable to refuse the little blonde's request. He lifted him up, setting him on his hip with a light 'Hn' of irritation as Naruto wrapped his arms around his neck, nuzzling up to him sweetly. Tobi, of course, had to ruin the moment, pulling out his camera in excitement. Before Deidara could stop him, the masked man had snapped a photo. "Ooo! Deidara, you look like a mother! Mommy Deidara!" he cooed.

The blonde in question sneered at him, temper rising as he growled "Shut up Tobi! Rip that up, now. I'll blow your ass up-" he threatened, eliciting a light gasp from Sasuke and Naruto alike. Naruto glared at him, and Sasuke crossed his arms.

Deidara blinked as Naruto scolded him. "You two be nice. Deidara, Nagato-San said no more grown-up words, and you aren't a grown-up. So none of that, nuh-uh." he frowned at the fifteen-year-old who felt incredibly odd with the boy's command.

Tobi moved to tease Deidara about his behavior but Sasuke interrupted him. "You be nice to Deidara! Deidara is very handsome! Tobi is being a bad boy." he scolded, remembering his mother explaining how fragile men's egos could be.

Tobi pouted a bit at this, but Deidara just sighed. Really, these children were either brave or stupid. Possibly both. He shook his head back and forth, and they headed off. Hinata and Neji held Tobi's hands so they wouldn't be lost while Sasuke held Deidara's and Gaara stood tucked decently close to the blonde's side. The redhead was in a great mood, proud of himself for the first time in a while.

As they headed into the dango shop, Deidara huffed and sat down. Tobi sat across from them, the kids piling onto the picnic table while they waited on a waitress to come to them. A woman soon came over notepad in hand. All of them ordered sweet dango with the exception of Deidara and Sasuke, who both settled for Mitarashi Dango, preferring the salty taste to the overly sweet traditional kind.

While they waited, Deidara noticed the younger blonde looked particularly less energetic than usual. He still smiled and made it seem like he was happy, but he also looked a bit sulkish in the process. Deidara leaned on his elbows ideally, huffing at the little boy, "What are you so sulky about?" he quirked a brow.

Naruto shrugged and looked away, trying to dismiss it. Neji answered for him. "He's probably sulking because he didn't get to fight today at school. Sensei said there wasn't much point since he doesn't have any ninja skills," he explained, earning a glare from Naruto.

Deidara quirked a brow. The kid had absolutely zero ninja skills? The older blonde scoffed. "If that's why then stop your sulking. You're going to the academy now so you'll get better. Not to mention you're living with nine amazingly skilled ninjas, plus Tobi. I'm sure at least one of them will pick up training you when you're older."

Naruto perked up a bit at this, and Deidara noted "Hn. The leader seems to be taking a shine to you. Maybe he'll even oversee your training if you're lucky enough. Though, that's a long way away if so." he commented before taking his dango from the waitress and plopping it in his mouth, similar to the others.

Naruto's mood now seemed lifted, and Tobi questioned "You all were doing your placement test? What rankings did you all get?" he hummed out curiously. After all, the school system for their village was not a very easy one.

Neji thought for a moment before he spoke, a bit shamed he and his cousin had come in last. They would need to pick up training together again so they didn't make fools of themselves. "Gaara got first place. Sasuke got fifth. I got eighth. Hinata got ninth. Then Naruto got eleventh."

Deidara nearly choked on his dango. "You got first place?" glancing at the little six-year-old who nodded slightly with a light smile. "That's good. I'm sure you'll be a good ninja one day." he nodded in approval as they all finished.

Tobi left the money, humming as they all started towards the main house. As they entered, the kids quickly dispersed. Neji went to his bedroom, tugging Hinata along with him. Gaara made a beeline for Sasori, while Sasuke headed towards his room. Naruto wound up heading to the top floor.

Neji closed the door behind him, frowning heavily at his younger cousin. He pulled the pack of homework out, Hinata mimicking him as he spoke. "We should start our homework. We need to work hard to be better." sitting down on his bed. His voice was firm, but his eyes were nowhere near as hard as they had grown used to being.

His ego had taken a huge blow today, and he wasn't sure how to handle it. Usually, he was the best. The prodigy. So to hit so low on a ranking was painful. He felt as though his ninja skills had been amature in comparison to the others. He was working on mimicking the dotted lines for the letters and sighed. He supposed she was giving him a basic introduction packet to see how developed his skills were.

Hinata noticed the slight shake to her cousin's shoulders and the stressed look on his face. She reached over, hesitantly. She wrapped an arm around him in a hug, already having figured out what was wrong. After all, even if his cousin played the part of a humble protector, she knew the other had quite the pride in him. "Neji-Nii-San, don't worry. You went up against Gaara, and he's the one who hit the highest mark even above the elder classmen. You just had a hard match. You're still an amazing ninja." she smiled, her admiration clear.

Neji seemed to calm down a bit at this, sighing. "You're right. I'll just have to do better next time." he shook his head back and forth. "We both will. We'll do the Hyuuga clan name proud," he assured himself more than her.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

Sasori was working on a puppet when a little ball of red hair bounded towards him. He was a bit startled as he saw Gaara sit beside him, a proud smile on his face as he held onto his teddy bear which he had reluctantly been convinced to leave at home for the school day. Sasori raised a brow as he continued to wire the puppet. "You enjoy school?" he asked.

Gaara nodded in excitement, announcing proudly to the other "I got first place in the whole class, and I didn't hurt anyone too bad." he smiled. Sasori smiled slightly at the other, though his mood dampened. If the child was this excited at not killing his opponent, he could only imagine how many had died at his hands. How much blood was on this boys hands, despite his hidden sweet nature.

The little redhead had made a few rude comments to the other members or sent deadly glares, but he had restrained himself from killing any of them yet. The fact they were all S-Class ninja probably helped too so it would be harder to harm them than average citizens. Despite the rude comments and few glares he gave, Sasori could tell he was a sweet boy hiding behind harsh actions. Mainly, because Sasori had done the same thing when he was young and freshly left his grandmother.

It was odd, but Sasori felt the need to protect the boy. Rationally, he knew he would become a ninja and would shed a lot of blood in his life. However, he wanted this bloodshed to be with reason. He didn't want the sweet little boy to become a shell of himself as Sasori had become. He wanted to give Gaara what he himself could never have-- a good childhood where he would be raised and even loved. He didn't want him to turn out as he had.

"That's great Gaara, you did very well. I'm proud of you." he praised the boy, Hidan raising a brow at the normally brutal and sadistic member from across the kitchen where he was watching the entire conversation. These kids really seemed to be getting attached to the Akatsuki, and it wasn't one-sided either.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

Sasuke headed to his brother's room, opening the door. After all, at his old house, he went into whatever room he wanted without warning since he was alone. Unfortunately, this was not the case here. His eyes widened the size of baseballs as he saw his brother.

The ravenette was leaning on Kisame's chest, very much asleep. The shark ninja had his arms wrapped around him but was focused more on Sasuke at the moment. Both had their coats removed and laying on the other bed, Itachi wearing his normal undershirt and loose pants. Kisame wore a pair of shorts but was shirtless. Sasuke flustered as he made eye contact with Kisame, quickly looking down in embarrassment.

Kisame raised a brow at the flustering little six-year-old. Did a kid that young even understand there was something more than friendship based on their position? "What are you looking at, kid?" he prodded ideally, not bothering to remove his arm from Itachi's head where he was lightly stroking his bangs. He did, however, use his water to press the door shut behind Sasuke.

Sasuke jolted lightly as the door shut behind him, eyes still remaining on the floor, his hands folding behind him. "N-Nothing," he muttered, curing the waver in his voice as he spoke. He heard Kisame's long sigh but said nothing.

"Sasuke, come here." the bulky swordsman commanded. Sasuke slowly inched forward a bit but came nowhere near close to where Kisame and Itachi lay. "Closer." he took only a few inches forward before Kisame growled lightly. "Don't make me get up and come to you."

Hearing this the boy quickened his pace so he stood beside the bed, head still down. He wasn't sure what kind of person Kisame was yet, so he was wary, but he also knew he was definitely stronger than him so there was no use in making him angry by trying to run off. Kisame asked "Sasuke, do you know what I and Itachi were doing?"

Sasuke bit his lip, glancing down further, mentally curling into himself. "I dunno," he muttered, not sure what they had been doing but guessing by the way Kisame had been looking at Itachi that it was not platonic love.

He physically jolted back when Kisame put a hand on his head, ruffling his hair. The shark ninja chuckled deeply at him, smirking a bit. "Tch and Itachi saids you're fierce. You're about as threatening as a kitten." he shook his head back and forth before returning to his original point. "Sasuke, do you know why Itachi is laying on me?" the small boy shook his head back and forth. "It's because he's my partner, romantically," he explained.

Sasuke asked curiously, slowly lifting his eyes to look over his brother. "Romantically? Like mother and father?" he questioned, remembering the use of the word when describing a wife and her husband. "But your both boys." he pointed out in confusion, never having heard of a husband and husband due to it being so taboo.

Kisame looked at the small one firmly. "Yes, like a married couple. We just aren't that far yet. What we're called is 'boyfriends', but it's not something we want others to know. Being in a romantic relationship means making each other happy. It doesn't matter if its two boys, two girls, or a boy and a girl. Alright?"

Sasuke thought for a moment before nodding a bit. That made sense to him. He asked suspiciously "You make my brother happy, right?" not wanting his brother to be unhappy as he had recently begun to forgive the older Uchiha. After all, if he was willing to kill their entire clan to protect him, he must love him.

Kisame smirked at the boy's suspicions. "Of course, I do my best. Now, you'll keep this a secret, right? Having others know would make both of us very unhappy. You wouldn't purposely make us upset would you?" he noted, needing to know no one would get confirmation of this. The other members would never let him live it down and there would probably be a few dead villagers because of their loud mouths if they found out.

Sasuke nodded seriously. He wanted his brother to be happy.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

Naruto headed into Nagato's room slowly, asking "Can I come in, Nagato?" not wanting to upset the man who had agreed to be his friend. After all, he only really had Gaara and Sasuke as his friends before then so he wasn't completely sure if friendship could be lost easily or not. He didn't want Nagato to hate him, he wanted to hear about his clan and be able to stay close to the older Uzumaki.

Nagato agreed easily from his chair, waving him over weakly. "Of course. Come here, my boy." he smiled painfully. Konan was really the only one allowed up in this room in the Akatsuki, and she was usually busy in the village or sorting out other matters so it was nice to have some real conversation with another. He couldn't exactly go downstairs with his body the way it was.

Naruto smiled and bounded over to stand by his chair, grinning as he spoke. "Guess what? We went to school today and had to introduce ourselves, then the other students did the same. They're all really big though, they're mostly teenagers. We all had to fight to see who was the top-ranking and Gaara got the top out of everyone! He's really strong. Sasuke got ranked five, then Neji got ranked eight, and Hinata got nine. I think Neji is upset he got such a low score. I got the lowest though because I got automatically placed as eleven since I don't have any ninja training so it would have been pointless for me to try. Deidara said I'll get better. Oh! The others also invited us to go hang out at Amai's house this Saturday to train so we're going to ask Konan. And Deidara took us to get Dango too! It was really good-"

He babbled on and on, enjoying having someone to come home to talk about his day too. He also knew he would need help with that packet, so afterward he would make sure to ask Nagato about that. He seemed like a pretty smart guy to Naruto.


	10. Accidents Happen

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

Sasuke sat down at the desk in his bedroom, deciding to start the homework since Itachi was asleep at the moment. On Kisame. Sasuke would have to make sure to ask his brother about that. It didn't look very comfortable. Why not just use a pillow?

He shook his head back at forth at this, deciding he would just have to ask later. For now, he needed to work on this homework. He had never been to school, but his brother had made sure he was prepared to before he left.

Sasuke knew all the basic skills needed for school. He could read, write, count, and think logically. That's all you needed, right? He did the first few pages, which was simply writing. You traced some letters on a dotted line, then wrote it on the opposite blank page yourself. He did this easily enough, his handwriting surprisingly clear for a six-year-old.

The writing went on for an entire three pages. One for numbers, one for letters, and one for symbols. Once he finished that, the next section came up. It said to put a mark next to every word he could read out loud. He opened his mouth and began, "Kunai. Jutsu. Senbon. Sword. String. People." stopping to look at the next word, barely getting it out. "Com-fort-able. Comfortable. Feb-Feb-rary. Febrary?" he scowled, unable to say it.

He supposed it would be easy enough to go ask for help from one of their caretakers or even one of his friends, but he couldn't do that! When Itachi was his age, he made perfect marks in all his base subjects plus ninja subjects. Sasuke knew he'd look like he was dumb if he had to get help. He also didn't want a bad mark, either though. He sighed heavily. Let's see.

Naruto probably didn't know either, and even if he did everyone in the house would hear him laughing if Sasuke needed help. Neji was older and would probably know, but he couldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing either. It would be humiliating. Hinata was younger plus had a stuttering problem, she couldn't help. Gaara maybe? Gaara wouldn't tell anyone or tease him for not knowing.

He stood, inching downstairs until he spotted the redhead with Sasori once again. He inched over, hiding half behind a wall and waving Gaara over towards him quietly. Gaara noticed him and stood, heading over to him. All the while, Sasori and Hidan pretending not to notice.

Sasuke leads Gaara up to his room and shut the door behind him. Sasuke put his back to the door as he spoke, glancing away. "I need your help. But you can't tell anyone. Kay?"

Gaara looked curious but nodded, holding his bear at his side as he asked, "What do you need?" not sure why it had to be a secret or what he wanted.

Sasuke pointed towards the homework book as he spoke. "How do you say Febrary?" blushing a bit at his inability to say the word. Gaara looked over the book thoughtfully before shrugging at Sasuke. How was he supposed to know how to say it? Sasuke's face scrunched in aggravation. "Stupid packet, why's it so hard?"

Gaara flipped through the pages. "It has lots of things we shouldn't know yet. It looks like it's just to see where we're at. Why don't you ask your brother or Neji?"

Looking devastated, Sasuke shook his head back and forth. "I can't get help from them, they're smart!" seeing Gaara's look of not understanding why this was a problem, he added. "They're really smart. So if I ask for help I'll look stupid. Itachi got perfect scores on all his work when he was in the academy, and he didn't get any help. I can't ask Neji because he'll think he's smarter than me." he spoke stubbornly.

Gaara thought for a moment before offering shyly, "I can ask Sasori how to say it, then tell you?" not sure why he was offering. A small part in him, he realized, didn't like seeing Sasuke so distressed. The boy had never been mean to him or fearful of him despite his tailed beast. So seeing him so scared of failure was odd. It brought back waved of displeasure for Gaara, but it was...different than usual.

Usually, he hated seeing others afraid, and so he silenced their fears with his sand. He still wanted the fear to be gone, but for some reason, he didn't want to kill Sasuke for being nervous. It was odd, and apparently, Shukaku picked up on his lack of hate for Sasuke's expression. He could hear his voice nagging in the back of his head, and gripped his head between his hands.

He didn't want to kill Sasuke, even if he was only pretending to be his friend! He had been having such a great week so far, he didn't want his surprising accident free streak to end. He just wanted to pretend that everything was alright, just for a little bit longer! Sasuke's voice brought him back to reality. "Gaara-! Gaara please stop-!"

Looking up, Gaara realized his sand had a crushing grip on Sasuke's legs. He saw a bit of blood mixing in with his sand, and immediately forced his sand back. No! He didn't mean to hurt Sasuke, he hadn't! Now everyone in the hideout would hate him, and Sasuke would be afraid of him.

The door slammed open, Sasuke having been dragged closer and out of the way. Konan rushed in, followed by Pain. Konan immediately saw what had happened, it being fairly obvious because of sand which was over different areas on the floor and Sasuke's torn up legs. She headed over to Sasuke, gently lifting him into her arms. He was crying, his first instinct being to cling his arms around Konan's neck. He nuzzled his face into her shoulder, shameful of the tears in his eyes.

Konan held onto him, sitting down on the bed with him to lightly stroke his back in comfort. Meanwhile, Pain headed over to Gaara. The boy stumbled back, assuming the older man was mad at him. His sand formed a protective dome, trying to hide him. Pain tried to coax him out, "Come here Gaara, I just want to talk to you." seeing the boy made no move to come out, he assured him, "We aren't mad at you. You didn't do it on purpose, did you?"

By now Sasori had headed upstairs to see what all the commotion was about. He stood in the doorway, watching the situation. Konan was holding Sasuke, poorly attempting to calm him down, while Pain tried to coax a nervous-looking Gaara out. He decided he should probably try to help Pain since he wasn't any good at comforting either. He headed over, kneeling beside Pain. "Gaara, you need to come out so we can talk. We aren't mad at you, but we need to know what happened."

Slowly, much to Pain's surprise, Gaara lowered his sand. The little boy darted over to Sasori, hiding his small body in the puppet master's Akatsuki coat. Sasori had never actually touched the little boy due to his sand but lowered his hand nearly on a reflex to rub his back as the boy spoke. "I was talking to Sasuke, but then he gets nervous about something. I didn't mean to, I was just thinking about how it was weird I didn't want to hurt him. When people get scared I Shakaku usually tells me to hurt them but I didn't- didn't want to-" he murmured shamefully into the older's coat. "I looked up and his legs were all tore up- my sand was crushing him- I-" he began to panic slightly.

Sasori lifted him into his arms, shushing him lightly. "It's alright, I'm sure Sasuke will forgive you. You just have to say sorry once his legs get healed up, alright?" he assured the boy who nodded a bit.

One of Pain's other paths had gone to get Itachi, waking up the teen. He didn't even have time to be embarrassed as he heard Sasuke was hurt. He had stood up quickly, heading to his bedroom and fixing his hair on the way. He came in to see Sasuke leaning on Konan's chest tiredly, his face looking pained.

Itachi headed over to them, sitting on the bed beside Sasuke. His little brother looked over at him, hiding his face a bit in Konan's coat as Itachi moved to look at his leg. "Hm. Besides the tearing on the outer skin, it looks like the bones have been shattered severally." he frowned, knowing for a fact none of them had good enough medical ninjutsu to heal this.

He reached up, lightly running a hand through his little brother's hair. "It's alright, Sasuke. We'll get you bandaged up for now."

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

Gaara watched as Sasuke's leg was healed up, his eyes focus on the other boy. Things had calmed down by now, Konan and Itachi wrapping up Sasuke's leg while Gaara stood against Sasori's side. It was odd, feeling guilty about hurting someone else.

It was understandable though since Sasuke was one of the few people he had some sort of bond with. The little ravenette looked over at him as he was finally wrapped up. His legs both looked terrible, and Gaara had a feeling this wasn't the time to poke at his injuries.

He felt Sasori's hand on his back and startled, the sand reflexively going to put pressure on Sasori's hand. The puppet allowed this, however, not moving it. The sand seemed to ease up on the hand at this, much to Sasori's surprise. It seemed the sand really did have a will of its own.

Gaara moved a few steps closer so he was in front of Sasuke, Itachi, and Konan watching him closely. Both noticed the look of immense guilt on him. Gaara inched forward, surprising the little ravenette as he threw his arms around him almost desperately.

Looking worried, Gaara spoke, "I'm so sorry Sasuke. I didn't mean to." he murmured, not wanting Sasuke to hate him. Usually, on the rare occasion someone survived his sand, they had new hate for him. He didn't want one of the few people who he had a decent bond with to dislike him.

Sasuke, after he calmed down from the original shock, hugged him back gently. "It's fine." he murmured. How could he be angry at him when he was so obviously guilty about it? Itachi let out a sigh as he looked at his little brother. It was good to see he was still innocent and at least mildly forgiving at heart.

Konan smiled a bit at the two, putting a hand on Itachi's shoulder. She knew he cared dearly for his little brother, and as such, she imagined he had been worrying over Sasuke. She didn't know his reasons for killing his clan, but she assumed they either had hurt Sasuke or were being cruel to them both. He didn't seem like the type to simply snap without thinking things through, so she imagined he must have had a good reason.

She doubted it would help to go to Itachi since he had told them their reason was simply that he wanted to test the limits of his power. Tobi had confirmed this. So she would have to go behind his back if she wanted to know. To Sasuke. But would he know? Or would she simply be opening up old wounds? She wasn't sure, and she didn't want to test it. She did have to wonder though.

Itachi gently stroked Sasuke's hair once Gaara scrabbled back to Sasori, remembering how he used to love it as a child. Perhaps this would still apply. Sasuke leaned into his brother's affectionate petting, reminded of a time far less painful. Itachi smiled tiredly. "Sasuke, since we don't have any good medics we'll have to keep you home for a few days while we go out and look for one, alright? Someone will come to help you in no time, I promise."

Seeing Sasuke's sad nod he sighed a bit. "If you're good while you're home, I'll even help you with your training sometime. Alright?" immediately his eyes brightened at that, nodding much for excitedly.

Sasori shook his head back and forth in amusement at Sasuke's quick mood change, patting Gaara's red hair. He felt the little one lean into his touch and sighed, lifting him. These poor kids all seemed equally touch starved. He smiled a bit as Gaara relaxed against his shoulder, looking tired. It seemed now that he had the ability to sleep because of Pain's rennigan, the boy's body demanded it.

Quietly heading out of the room, he brought Gaara to his room. When he tried to put the boy down however, he found him clinging to his neck. Sasori blinked, "What's wrong, Gaara? There's nothing to be scared of."

Gaara nuzzled up to Sasori as the older male sat on the bed. "He'll come out and kill everyone if I sleep. I like you. I don't want you to die." he muttered. Sasori rubbed his back, and the smaller couldn't help but be lulled to sleep. It had been so long since anyone had touched him, let alone so gently. So now that he had lowered his guard, he couldn't help but want nothing else but to embrace the warmth of another.

Sasori muttered gently, "Don't worry. I'm strong and so is everyone else here. We won't die. We'll protect everyone, including you." he assured the boy who slowly drifted to sleep.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

Neji and Hinata had heard the commotion but had stuck to their room. Hinata had been worried, but Neji had been quick to warn her off. They would only get in the way. Neji had trouble with a bit of it but ignored this. It was to see how much they knew, not who had the best immediate scores. Hence why he refused to help Hinata.

Hinata looked nervous. "But Neji, what if they get m-mad at me for having such b-bad scores? I don't want them to d-dislike me..." thinking back to the countless scoldings she received from her father when she couldn't handle a jutsu or didn't understand her study material.

She looked down, eyes welling up. They'd been so nice to her. Konan and Itachi had been holding her, Kisame was nice to her nii-san, Sasori was nice to Gaara, and everyone else had yet to be unkind. She hadn't been belittled once since she got to this new village, but soon they would all see how worthless she was. She rubbed her nose gently to her sleeve, disappointed with herself.

Neji's scoff pulled her from her thoughts. "So what if they dislike you? You'll still have me and our friends. If any of them are mean to you, just tell me and I'll knock some sense into them." he decided proudly.

Hinata blushed a bit, smiling as she heard this. She wiped away her tears, relaxing a bit. That was right. Her nii-san would always protect her from all the people who made her upset. Because he was stronger than any of them. Well, besides maybe her dad, but he wasn't here right now.

She continued with her work until dinner, happy at this newfound sense of relief. No one here could hurt her. Neji would protect her, she thought. Neji, on the other hand, felt fear welling up behind his brave scoffs. No way in hell he could take on even the weakest member. But he couldn't let them be mean to her either. He was her nii-san, her lifelong protector! It was his duty to keep her safe from any threats.


	11. Through a child's eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am awar Itachi does not get his medicine for his eyes from the family I am putting in this story. I would rather just have it this way for plot reasons.

That night, once all the children were tucked into bed and the demons were put away, Itachi slowly made his way to the third floor. The teen knocked on the door politely, his arms falling to his sides afterward.

The door opened after a moment, Konan facing him in the doorway. She looked over at the young teen, pressing the door open for him to enter. He was surprised to see Tobi was also in the room, sitting across from Nagato.

He noticed the masked man loosen his sitting position so he looked more casual, but set this aside for now. He knew something was off about Tobi, he had known that since the first time he saw him. Right now he needed to focus not only on Sasuke but all the children.

Itachi entered the room, standing a few feet away from Nagato and Tobi with his hands resting carefully by his side. Konan moved to Nagato's right side, glancing up at the Uchiha. Nagato asked, "Is there something we can help you with, Itachi?"

Letting out a small breath, Itachi nodded. He paid Tobi no mind as he spoke. "Yes. A few things I feel need to be addressed. For one, that boy Gaara needs something done with that demon inside him. If he continues to let it roam free, someone will be hurt much worse than a few broken bones."

Nagato nodded a bit in agreeance as Itachi continued. "We also need a good medic for Sasuke. There are many good medics around such as Lady Tsunade and Lady Chiyo. However, both are incredibly powerful and would be hard to take in. I know of a healer in Kusagakure who may be able to help. She has a special healing kekki genkai which will work perfectly. She is also a poor ninja however, with little use past her kekki genkai and medical knowledge. So it would be easy to take her away. If you would permit me, I believe I could convince her to come here willingly. She supplies my eye medication despite my mark as a missing ninja so I believe she would be willing to come as she holds an indirect connection to Sasuke through me."

Konan nodded a bit. "I see. Kusagakure isn't too far away, but I hear they've been suffering an economic crisis. People there may be rougher than you remember because of poor times. I agree to you going, but only if you bring Kisame with you. I also wish for you two to use your better judgment. If a situation arises where you aren't sure whether to push on or not, do what you think is best." she agreed.

Nagato nodded in agreement. "Yes, you're right. It's too risky to go after ninja which are too powerful. Just come back intact. Is there anything else besides the demons? We are looking for a solution to that as well."

Glancing out the window Nagato usually looked out of, he nodded. "Sasuke saids he and the other children were invited to a classmates home. Amai, to train with him and the other classmates. Amai belongs to the Chudoku clan. I told him I would ask you for him."

The other three in the room could tell Itachi had a 'but' on his mind. Nagato asked, "I would be fine with this, but Konan is technically their mother so to speak. Is there something you want to add first though, Itachi?"

Pressing his lips together, Itachi asked, "Is it a good idea for them to be by a clan so soon though? Sasuke lost his less than a month ago, Neji's enslaved him, Hinata's verbally abused her, then Gaara and Naruto both have the demons in them. Several things could go wrong and no one would be there to help them."

Konan came up behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder. The teen tensed a bit, reminding himself these were dangerous criminals who could come after him for speaking so softly. It was hard to remember this when Konan and Pain acted as his parents had at one point, even a bit softer really. Then with Deidara acting as a sort of brother to him and the others being so casual or joking with him, it was hard to imagine he would have to kill them all one day. Even Kisame, as much as the thought made his insides turn.

He was pulled back to reality when Konan pulled a piece of his hair behind his ear. "Itachi, it's okay to care about your younger brother. Nagato and I have spoken about this before. We're sure you had a larger reason for ending your clan than it is a test of your strength. You love Sasuke. I've settled on the conclusion they were planning to hurt him, that's why you did it. I don't know the full truth, but that's the best guess I can think of. If you ever need to speak about it know I'm always here. Love isn't a weakness."

Itachi blushed a bit at the last part, refusing to look over at the older woman as she continued. "You love Kisame. Kisame loves watching Neji be a little bodyguard. Neji loves protecting Hinata. Hinata loves Sasuke as an older brother. Sasuke loves Naruto as a rival. Naruto loves Gaara as a fellow broken soul. Gaara loves Sasori as an older brother. Sasori loves creating art with Deidara. Deidara loves being able to relax with Tobi. Tobi loves killing with Hidan. Hidan loves working with Kakuzu. Kakuzu loves working in the Akatsuki along with Zetsu. Zetsu loves looking over the city with Nagato. I love Nagato as he is my old friend. Nagato loves you all like family even if he won't admit it. The Akatsuki is a family."

Nagato growled out with a glare, "Konan! That is enough. I've told you before, love does no one any good. It only gets people killed. Itachi is smart not to want to attach himself to his brother. People die at the most unexpected moments. Love is a weakness. Spreading pain is the only way for everyone to understand each other."

Konan sighed, making it clear to Itachi this was an age-old argument between the two. Konan glanced at Nagato with narrowed eyes. "You say that, yet you allow Naruto in here. You allow him to babble in your ear, sit in your lap, and cuddle into your side. Not once have you complained. Deny it if you wish, but you're growing to love the boy." she spoke in a matter-of-the-fact tone.

Nagato covers his eyes with his hand, letting out an annoyed grunt. He knew she was right. The child had been worming his way into his heart. Tobi jumped in easily. "Naruto has nine tails in him. Nine tails in a fox. Foxes are sneaky, he's being a sneaky boy and trying to trick Pain! He is not a good boy."

Itachi noticed his want for them to stay on the path of hate, and became interested. If he was desperate enough to pop in at even the small notice of a possible side plan, perhaps Nagato was less set on his path than he let on. With someone as close to him as Konan against it too, it made it difficult to imagine he could go on without at least a little doubt.

Itachi couldn't help but let his tongue loose for the moment, not liking how upset Konan seemed to be by her lack of support. He could see on her face the look on unsureness over if her views were as wrong as they said. Itachi couldn't afford for her to quit the argument. If there was a way to end this all without death, he would try.

"If I may say so, Pain, I doubt Tobi knows what he's talking about. Naruto is a six-year-old boy who has no reason to be manipulating you. He has had a hard childhood since his parents passed away mere hours after his birth. He's been mistreated by the people of the village. He has been refused the reason why he is hated and alone. He still smiles on though. I believe this is only a sign."

Nagato frowned but didn't interrupt him. "He smiles on and shows love to all he meets even after they mistreat him. This is only proof love will always shine through the pain. Neji, despite being abused and mistreated by the main house, still shows love for Hinata. Just as even though she's been raised to make Neji kiss the dirt she walks on, she shows him affection. Sasuke still moves to protect Naruto, Hinata, and Gaara despite the recent pain. Gaara has suffered a lot too. His father tried to have him killed, he's known no one's touch for years, and he seems convinced he is a monster. Still, he shows affection for Sasori and tries his most damn to make others hold no hate for him."

Tobi frowned in disagreement. "They're children! Children don't know the truth of the mean, mean world. At least these were prepared, but taking them in and being so soft on them is going to get them hurt. You're a child too, that's why you don't get it. You should leave this to the grown-ups, hm-hm!"

Konan narrowed her eyes. "Are you saying we should take them in just to hurt them? That's terrible, even if the world to come is full of pain and misery it isn't right to...to.." she tried to explain, hating how brutally right Tobi was. When Nagato covered the world in pain, these kids wouldn't be ready. Though, she knew the pain of being an unloved child and didn't want that on anyone else.

Itachi glanced at him, Sharingan activated. "Children are the ones who see the world as it is, free of illusions. Children see the world as adults never can. A child's opinions and the world has not yet been warped by the games of the adult world. Children are free of fear. Fear leads to hatred for what you can not understand. With the proper guidance, these children can return to this unfearful world, with a bit of understanding of the true world as well. With this understanding they can see the world at it's most prime, a prime someone older or someone as broken as the rest of us can not see."

Nagato frowned at this. "That sounds well in logic, but would this truly be for the best? If these children do see the world in all it's the truth they may break. If they break they'll surely tumble as many of the other Akatsuki members have."

"The Akatsuki members have not all tumbled. Many of them are the ideal person. They've grown but kept the ideal set of children. Even Hidan and Kakuzu, in a way. They've accepted their true selves. You know exactly who you're talking to, not an illusion. Anyone who can not accept their true self will fail to fulfill their true potential. The more people who act out as they truly are, the easier it will be to see the world as it is. If you look past the first appearance there is much more than meets the eye for each person. By treating children as insignificant, they will only become insignificant. You must mold them if you wish them to grow an exact way. It is my opinion, that children see the world in it's clearest. When was the last time a happy child waged a war?"

Hearing silence, he pointed out. "This is the reason the Akatsuki was created, you said. For peace. I don't believe one huge push of pain is needed for this. Peace requires not only this generation's understanding but all the ones after it. If you go through with your plan of pain, it will only momentarily stop the wars. Until you die, then the other village will turn on this village and the leaf village who trained you. The leaf will retaliate. Then the circle starts new again. If you treat children with love and teach them affection, they will show that to others just as they would show hate. Love is the way to create peace."

It was only then that he realized he had just spit on every plan the Akatsuki had ever made and gritted his teeth together. Hopefully, Nagato wouldn't be too harsh against his free talking. He knew what a loose tongue got you, from the many disagreements with his father. It got nowhere besides risen stresses in a relationship. He hadn't talked to Nagato much, so he didn't know what the man was like in the face of blunt disobedience.

His face remained neutral, besides the light tint to his face from his rambling. He didn't speak much, but when he got on the topic of peace or life he couldn't help himself. The views of others could just be so...frusterating. He just couldn't help himself sometimes when he became angered. He heard no one speak for a long time, the others shocked by his outburst. Finally, Itachi turned to head for the door. "Apologies. It wasn't my place to speak, Pain-Sama. I'll head out now to leave you three to your discussion. My deepest apologies." he quietly spoke.

The others watched as he headed to the door, Nagato frowning a bit and leaning back in his chair. Before Itachi left, he spoke in a quiet voice. "Itachi, you are a truly intelligent child. You may speak as you wish to me. Some points do prove valid, but for now, it is something that must be rested on. We still have plenty of time. Your opinions will be...taken into consideration."

After all, if both Konan and Itachi thought as much, perhaps he was missing something. It was also a philosophy Yahiko used to follow dearly. Live with love. Nagato needed time to clear his head.


	12. Antidote

The next morning, they all sat down for breakfast as they had been the last few days. All except for Itachi, Sasuke, Kisame, and Konan. Itachi was preparing for his mission along with Kisame, the two being rushed to go out as soon as possible. Sasuke's legs were in terrible shape and they only had oh so many pain relievers to give the boy.

Sasuke sat quietly eating his food which Konan had brought up to him, the little boy looking frustrated despite his best efforts to hide it. Sasuke ate the food quietly, feeling Konan reach up to run her fingers through his hair.

At first, the boy startled a bit, not used to the touch of anyone beside Itachi. Even his father and mother rarely did more than touch his shoulders. Konan sat beside him, watching the young Uchiha eat slowly.

Sasuke eventually gave in and leaned against her side, feeling relieved by the soothing feeling. Konan asked "What's wrong Sasuke? You look upset."

He pressed his lips together, muttering, "It's none of your business." adding for good measure, "You aren't my mother." a bit annoyed by how loving she was being. It made his mother's occasional soothing pat on the shoulder seem like nothing. He didn't like his dear mother whom he missed so much being shown up.

Konan frowned a bit at this but knew the boy was probably still unused to such affection from anyone besides Itachi or Makoto. She continued petting his hair gently, however, since he made no move to pull away from it. "I know I'm not your mother. I just want to take care of you. I don't want you to be upset or hurt." even if it was inevitable with Nagato's plan. She knew he didn't think it was right deep down.

After a long silence, Sasuke spoke. He settled for hiding his face in her coat, smothering the embarrassment of his question. She wasn't even in his family! Why should he be asking her such personal questions, let alone think she knows the answer? "Is Aniki mad at me?"

A bit put off by the question, Konan shook her head. "Itachi isn't mad at you. He loves you very much. Why would you think that?" not sure what Itachi might have said to make the young boy think he was angry with him.

"For weeks before everyone..everyone..." he couldn't bring himself to say died. "Was gone. He refused to do our normal training or play games with me. Then he did that. Then when I came here he barely even looks at me. He pays more attention to Hinata than me, and he barely even knows her." he muttered, unable to help the hint of jealousy. "He barely even talks to me besides yesterday when I got hurt. Even then he mostly only paid attention to my leg."

The boy was growing more physically upset. "Now he only popped in to say he was going away on a mission for a bit. He doesn't even want to be around me anymore. I don't know what I did wrong. I-I- looked at what happened yesterday from Gaara's perspective. He always saids to look from many perspectives. I did what I was supposed to, why is he leaving again so soon?"

Konan gently rubbed the small ones back, pulling him up so he sat on her lap, but careful not to hurt his legs. She pressed him to her chest, lightly rubbing his back as he nuzzled into her. She allowed him to let out small muffled noises until he relaxed. "Itachi just needs time. I'm sure he doesn't mean to ignore you. Try to remember, killing the clan might have affected him too. He told us it was simply to test in strength, but I have a feeling there's more to it. If you know the real reason why perhaps remember. It was his family too."

Sasuke glanced down. So it was his fault? Itachi wasn't looking at him because he looked like the clan. That had to be it. Before he could ponder on it too much, Konan added, "Itachi isn't running off either. He's going on a mission to find a healer for your legs. He saids he knows a very good one and asked to do it himself. He wants the best for you."

Hearing this, Sasuke smiled only to falter soon after. It seemed he wasn't doing as good of a job at seeing many perspectives as he thought. Konan lightly patted his head. "Don't worry. You're still young and have a lot of mistakes to make. Itachi won't hold it against you."

Nodding a bit, Sasuke sighed and handed her his homework to give to the others to turn in since he wasn't going to school today.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

As the kids all headed to school with Deidara, minus Sasuke, they had a few different mood sets. Neji was calm, having filled out his entire packet. He understood most of it, he thought, so he expected a good grade as always.

Hinata was nervous, not having known barely any of it. Even as the heiress to the clan, she was only five and couldn't be expected to know some of it. She comforted herself with the fact Neji wouldn't let anyone yell at her for it. After all, he was the strongest ninja she knew. He would keep her safe.

Gaara felt guilt-ridden at the lack of Sasuke and was carrying his homework in for him. His new guilt was from his new reasoning. His uncle had once said pain was like what he felt in his chest when people mistreated him, only in the form of a wound. Gaara decided last night he didn't want Sasuke to have any wounds, physical or in his chest. He had done his packet but wasn't sure how well he did on the ninja moral section.

Naruto wasn't too sure himself, Nagato having told him the packet was to test his base knowledge. Which had ended up being absolutely nothing? After the letter tracing he had put it away, not sure how to do it. Now he was regretting it. In his mind, he was sure he would be the only one with a poor grade. Neji and Sasuke were sure to get perfect marks. Hinata would probably do well too, she seemed smart. Then Gaara. He was the Kazekage's son, surely he had an amazing education.

As they arrived, their Sensei led them in, taking their packets. They all headed over to sit by their classmates, noticing everyone except Totsu was already there. They settled down quietly, waiting for their classmate while the older ones chattered.

Kichona was the first to address them. She asked curiously, "Where's Sasuke? Did he not walk with you all today?" she questioned. Where could the little ravenette be, it was only the second day of class!

Gaara only stayed quiet, guilty despite the adult's many assurances he wasn't in trouble. He was on high alert, just in case the Akatsuki decided to send out someone to kill him. After all, that's what his father had done when he couldn't control his demon.

Seeing is guilt, Neji spoke for him. "He got hurt and couldn't come today. He'll be back soon though, his brother is getting him a healer from another village, I heard."

Amai tilted his head. "He got hurt? It must be pretty bad if he couldn't come today. We have some decent healers in the village too. So I'm assuming that means it's pretty bad if his elder brother had to leave the village to find one."

Naruto nodded slightly. "There was an...accident at the house. Both his legs got completely crushed. He's alright though. His brother said he'll have the healer at the house by the end of the day so that means he'll be good to go by tomorrow." smiling largely with optimism.

Tsuyoi nodded slightly, frowning a bit. Seeing the guilt-ridden look on Gaara's face it was fairly obvious he was responsible. He glanced down at his wrists, glad it had only been his wrists rather than his entire leg that was crushed by the sand. He could only imagine Sasuke's pain.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

Itachi walked alongside Kisame, both quiet for some time. The larger of the two finally spoke. "So this is where you get the medication for your eyes, huh?" glancing around the small beat up village. He noticed the cemetery, which was a bit larger than served for comfort. "Doesn't look like they're too good in their field." he frowned.

Itachi did his best to not look at the cemetery where so many surely laid. "The healer has only a limited amount of chakra and energy. She can't be expected to heal everyone. This village only has two healers, a woman, and her daughter. From what they tell me they're only allowed to stay because of their special healing abilities. Or rather, they're forced to stay." he frowned.

Kisame blinked, "Two healers? No wonder the village is going to shit. With all the war that's gone on in the last few years it isn't a surprise so many get injured." he scoffed. "Such a foolish village. How do you plan to get the mother away from the village and her daughter? I doubt she'll want to leave her daughter alone in case of an emergency, and you said the village is making them stay."

As they came up to the hospital, Itachi headed in. "We'll take them both if need be. As far as the village goes, I doubt they're in a position to fight two high ranking ninja such as us." he easily spoke.

The hospital had a worn and tired look to it, clearly being used a lot. There was no receptionist, well unless you counted the little girl at the counter. She had bright rosy hair which came down to her shoulders, tired pink eyes, red glasses, and a small purple Kimono.

Kisame headed over, slamming his hand on the counter carelessly with a large smirk. "We're here to see the healers, kid. We need to speak with them and pick up some medication." figuring they could get Itachi's medications while they were here.

The little girl peeked around Kisame, pointedly ignoring him. A smile graced her lips as she greeted with excitement, "Itachi-san!" jumping down from her chair and charging over to the older man. Kisame blinked at her ignorance of him, watching as she practically leaped into Itachi's arms.

Itachi chuckled a bit, picking the seven-year-old up. "Hello, Karin. I know we're a bit early for my normal pick up time, but does your mother by any chance have my eye medication ready? If not, that's alright. We need to speak with her anyway."

Karin slumped a bit at this. "Oh, um. Mother, um." she wasn't sure how to say it. "She, she died a few weeks ago. We had a rush of people hurt in an accident near town and she had to use up too much blood." biting her lip with her sharp teeth. "But I got your medicine made, I think I did it right."

Seeing her point towards the back room, Itachi and Kisame both went as directed. She pointed to a filing cabinet, and sure enough inside was his medication. Itachi frowned, "Karin if you're mother is gone why are you still here? I know you assist with a lot of the medication crafting, but I hope you aren't letting them take your blood. If they didn't monitor your mother enough to know she was running dry I doubt they'll do it for you. You don't have as much blood to give. You're still young."

Karin nodded a bit, "I took over as the only medic in the village. It's my job to make sure everyone is healed up, now that mother is gone. If I die at least it'll be helping others." she decided, having used this as her comfort. After all, she didn't have a choice.

Itachi frowned, "What about school and your training? I thought you wanted to be a ninja when you got older?" he asked. Seeing her shrug a bit, he sighed. "Well, since your mother isn't here we'll have to ask you then. Can you come with us to our hideout? My younger brother had his legs badly wounded and I think your power would be best for the job. We'll make sure to monitor how much blood you use, too."

He wasn't completely sure if she could help Sasuke, but he knew her mother's blood had been unbelievably powerful. The woman had been able to heal anything from knives directly through the heart to the most deadly poison. Not to mention, her medical knowledge was amazing. The woman had held healing powers rivaling Chiyo herself. Itachi knew she had been training Karin, though how far along they were he didn't know. Her blood itself should do wonders though, even if she wasn't skilled in medical practices. The only real issue would be convincing Sasuke to drink it. That would be a challenge.

The small girl considered it for a moment before asking "Who will look after the village then? I can't leave or they won't have a healer to fix up their wounded."

Kisame snorted, flinging his sword over his shoulder. "They'll let you out, Itachi and I will make sure of it. As far as the village goes, they don't need your help as his brother does. Come on, your help will be much more appreciated in the Land of Rain."

Karin nodded a bit in understanding, before deciding. "Alright, but I should bring my medical herbs in case. I don't know if he'll need my blood or herbs. It depends on the specifics of the break." she spoke, Itachi letting her down so she could bag up all her herbs. After all, a good medic was always prepared!


	13. Healing

Karin followed behind Itachi and Kisame into the larger village, noticing the excess rain. But then, at least she had been warned about it. She held only Itachi's hand so she didn't get lost, but once they reached the house she let go.

Deidara raised his brows. "Another one? Uchiha, I thought you were going to get a healer." he frowned. "Sasuke's legs are screwed up. You don't have time to be fucking around. They might heal like that, then any chance of him keeping his strong legs are gone."

Itachi chuckled, the little girl putting her hands on her hips. "Excuse me? I'm the best healer in my village, and will easily be able to heal Sasuke up. Ignorant fool."

Kisame snickered, leading her towards Sasuke's room and leaving Deidara to rave about how he wasn't an idiot. The door pressed open, and they spotted Sasuke rather quickly. He sat in the bed by himself, working on a few sheets of technical practice. He looked up when he saw people enter, Kisame waving and heading over with Itachi. "Hey, kid. Dead yet?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes at Kisame, straightening his back reflexively when he noticed Karin. The redhead walked over, lifting his shorts a bit so she could get a better view of his legs. They were a dark color, bruised deeply in both blue and purple. He also had little bits of bones pressing against leg from the inside, making her wince. That looked painful.

She got up on the bed, chakra coming to her hands. She focused on where the base bone should be and began gently massaging the pieces back into place. Sasuke gasped in pain, eyes shooting open. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Itachi reached over to offer him his hand, and Sasuke gladly took it. The six-year-old gripped onto his older brother's hand, trying his hardest not to cry. Which was hard, with someone pushing your bones around inside your body using chakra.

Karing seemed satisfied with one leg, the skin now was torn from her forcing the bones into place but otherwise fine. The flesh was the only real issue left, bruised and cut. She figured she could heal that with her blood though.

As Karin started on the other leg, people slowly began to pile into the room. Some concerned for the whimper's escaping Sasuke, others curious what all the noise was. By the second leg, Sasuke was full-on clinging to Itachi, not caring to hide the pain he was in. He just wanted it to stop, even the sand hadn't hurt this much.

Pain questioned, "Itachi, I know you said a woman and her daughter were healers, but I assumed you'd be bringing the woman. She'll get tired a lot easier." he frowned.

Karin kept the focus on Sasuke's legs, not even hearing their conversation since she was busy focusing on her chakra staying even. Itachi noticed this, so he went ahead and answered. "I came for her mother, but it seems I was a few weeks too late. She's dead. Karin has been treating patients by herself. Apparently, they were forcing her to stay so they could use her powers."

Pain nodded with a frown. "How did she pass on? Does she belong to a clan that can take her in?" he asked, not liking the idea of a single child practically running the hospital.

Kisame leaned back on the bed, noticing Sasuke's attention shifted to the older ninja's words rather than his injuries. Itachi shook his head back and forth. "She overused her powers and died because of it. She belongs to the Uzumaki clan, but unlike most, she's a direct descendant with no other mixes in her. This means her blood is so pure in chakra she can heal others by letting them drink her blood. She's also amazing at sensing chakra signatures, uniquely so. She surprises even her mother in that sense. She truly does have the makings of a good ninja, if it's nurtured well. Then as far as her clan goes...well you know how few are left of the clan. It would take months to locate another member. So she seems to of been living alone."

Just as Pain was about to respond, Karin distracted him. She seemed so deep in thought she hadn't heard a thing they had said. She had pulled out a kunai and was slicing against her palm deeply. Blood began oozing out, and she lifted it to Sasuke's mouth. "Drink up," she commanded.

Sasuke looked momentarily disgusted, but Itachi lightly pressed his head forward, silently demanding he did as he was told. Sasuke rolled his eyes, blushing a bit as he put his mouth over her hand and began drinking from her.

After a few seconds, the blood flow stopped and she frowned. She took her kunai again, stabbing further into her hand and then reoffering it to Sasuke. The raven-haired boy grudgingly took it as he noticed a warm feeling in his veins, almost relaxing as the cuts and bruises began to heal.

Just as she was about halfway through finishing Sasuke's legs, Itachi laid a hand on her shoulder. The girl pulled her hand away, looking a bit dizzy. Itachi rubbed her back gently. "That's enough for now, Karin. Don't overdo it."

Sasuke noticed he could at least move his legs a bit, and smiled thinly at Karin. "Thank you," he noted, glad to be able to move his legs around a bit.

The redhead frowned deeply, pushing the younger back gently. "Stay down. Your legs still need time to rest. Plus they need bandaged and cleaned so they don't get infected." she scolded, moving to pull a mall bag of green cream from her medical bag. She began rubbing it over his wounds, lightly tapping each one with a bit of her already spilled blood. "There. You should be fully recovered in three days, but you can get up tomorrow."

Konan chuckled a bit. "I see someone has the Uzumaki attitude at least." shaking her head back and forth a bit at the girl's proud and intelligent attitude.

Naruto was standing beside Pain, looking up at him while his leg twitched in anticipation. This girl was from their clan! She was family! Seeing the look on Naruto's face, Pain chuckled a bit.

"Alright, alright. Calm down. I'll ask her in a bit." patting the blonde's head. Naruto looked twice as excited now, nuzzling up against Pain's coat. Pain swore his heart skipped a beat. He had been thinking about what Itachi and Konan had said, and it was starting to get to him. Did he want to see Naruto's face streaming tears rather than giving off a beam of sunshine? He wasn't too sure anymore.

Hinata came over, hugging Sasuke. "You were so b-brave, Sasuke. I can't believe you stayed so s-still." she smiled, noticing his embarrassment from the eyes on him while he had been whimpering.

Karin stickered at that. Seeing the questioning look from Hinata, she smirked. "If I may say so, Sasuke-San was whining like a little baby," she spoke, enjoying teasing the younger boy who sent her a harsh glare.

Hinata looked mortified by her words, and much to the surprise of the others who knew her, she glared heavily with her Byakugan activated. "You may not say so. He's brave and smart, and pretty. I like Sasuke. I don't like you." she announced with crossed arms.

A hand moving to her hips, Karin announced. "Fine. I don't like you either. Your voice is annoying, and so is your stutter."

It looked like Hinata was about to reply, and Neji was ready to kill Karin when Itachi swooped Hinata up in his arms. Kisame did the same to Karin. Kisame hummed, "Let's not get into a fight now. Both of you be nice."

The girls crossed their arms in annoyance, Hinata nuzzling up to Itachi's neck with a 'Hn' she had learned from Sasuke. Konan chuckled, "Come on little ones. Sasori and Gaara are downstairs making dinner. They should be done soon. Karin honey, why don't you stay for tonight at least. It's too late out to be sending someone out with you to send you home, and we won't send you out on your own. You must be hungry and tired after that." she noted.

Kisame and Itachi finally let the girls down, both snorting gently and glancing away. Neji blinked, never having seen his cousin so...annoyed. Konan kissed Sasuke's forehead as the others headed down, "I'll bring you up some." she offered and he nodded.

The others all headed downstairs, Itachi helping Karin into Sasuke's normal seat. Hinata pouted at this but said nothing. They all sat down, Gaara helping Sasori bring out the food. Konan smiled a bit at Gaara. "This looks very good Gaara. Did you help Sasori?"

The boy grinned and nodded up at her, Sasori patting his head lightly. "Gaara wrapped the sushi all by himself. He did really well."

They began to eat, Neji looking up at Kisame curiously. "Kisame, isn't it cannibalism if you're eating a fish?" tilting his head curiously. Zetsu smirked from across the table.

Kisame put a large blue hand on the boy's head. "Tch. I'm not a fish. I'm a human." something he probably wouldn't have accepted if not for Itachi. "On the other hand, shark's eat each other while in their mother's womb. So even if I was counted as one it would be fair to say-" he was cut off when Itachi sent him a warning look. "What? He asked a question. You're supposed to answer brats when they ask questions, right?"

Neji glared a bit at being called a brat, Itachi rubbing his temple. "Kisame, the only child you've come in contact with over the years is Suigetsu, so I understand why you're so blunt. But most children aren't ready to hear the complete truth."

Gaara hummed, looking down at his food. "Translation: Lying to kids is the best option in Itachi's book," he spoke as he took a bite of his food.

Itachi sighed, and soon Kisame was on a full-on lecture about lying. He finished his food and stood up halfway through Kisame's speaking. "Hey- Don't you walk away from me Uchiha brat-"

Kisame followed, Kakuzu muttering, "Loud children, very loud children." he muttered. Soon, one by one, they began heading out from the table. As they stood, Naruto grabbed Karin's hand.

She blinked at him, and he smiled widely. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki, and the man upstairs is Nagato Uzumaki. He tells most people to call him Pain though so I dunno. He uses that guy, Pain, to move around like a puppet he can see out of. It's really cool! Come on, let's go upstairs so you can meet him. He can't go downstairs because he's really sick. Maybe you can help him too?"

He babbled on, leading the redheaded girl towards the top floor. Konan chuckled, shaking her head at them as she moved to put the rest of them to bed. Once they got upstairs, Naruto pushed the door open. "Nagato! Here's Karin!"

Nagato forced his head to the side a bit, looking at the girl who quickly headed over to him. She reached up, feeling his forehead. "Poor man, you look very sick, and your chakra levels are so drained." she frowned in concern.

The man chuckled a bit, patting her head. "Don't worry, little one. I'm alright. Just a bit tired. These eyes tire me out a lot, after all." he explained so she wouldn't worry. "So you're an Uzumaki then. I can tell. You have the traditional red hair, and definitely have the attitude of one." he smiled a bit, stroking her red hair.

Karin smiled a bit, nodding. "Your hair is pretty. It's a nice shade of red." noticing it was a bit darker than hers. "How come Naruto doesn't have red hair?" tilting her head.

Nagato smiled a bit. "He has his father's hair and eyes."

She nodded in understanding, and Naruto looked up at Nagato with pleading eyes. Nagato smiled tiredly. "Alright, alright. Karin, your mother is gone and you've been running the hospital practically alone." seeing her confirming nod, Nagato offered, "How about you stay here with us? Your healing powers would be very useful, but we won't force you to use them. You can stay here with your clansmen, go to school, and become part of Konan's family. Which is growing admittedly large."

Karin thought for a moment, unsure. Since she was a baby, her mother and she had given their services to be allowed to stay in the grass village. If she wasn't going to give them her blood for healing purposes, how would she earn her stay? "If you don't want my blood, then what am I supposed to give you?"

Nagato sighed a bit, patting her head. "You don't have to do anything. I'm sure the other children would like to get to know you and it would be nice to have another Uzumaki around," he noted. "Konan has always wanted children, I'm sure she wouldn't mind having another." he smiled.

Looking frustrated, Karin's face turned to one of disgust. "That woman isn't my mother," she stated with a cross of her arms in annoyance at the idea of the purple-haired woman trying to take over as her mother.

Naruto pipped up, "She isn't replacing her, it'll just be like having a second mom, that's all. Besides, it's not like she makes you think like that. She just is taking care of us." he smiled.

She looked unsure but nodded a bit as she played with the sleeves of her kimono. It would be nice to have a family again, she supposed. "A-Alright." she finally decided, Nagato nodding to her with a thin smile.


	14. Worth is Not Measured by Grades

As they sat down for class the next day, Karin felt odd for a brief moment when she stood in front of the class, their sensei in front of her speaking. "We have another student today. Now, she's never had any combat practice like Naruto, but she has extensive medical knowledge so she'll be just above him. Go ahead and introduce yourself while I get the class ready, hun."

Karin spoke, normal pride still there, "I'm Karin Uzumaki. I'm seven years old, and my blood has a healing quality so anyone that drinks it can be healed. I specialize in medical jutsu." she introduced herself. They all nodded, and soon she was sitting beside them all. While their sensei worked on writing something on the board for the day's lesson, Amai turned to them.

He smiled as he spoke, "It's nice to meet you, Karin. The invitation I gave the others applies to you too. We're all going to train over at my family's compound tomorrow." the others nodding in agreeance. Soon attention turned to Sasuke after she nodded, and the white-haired man asked, "Hey, Sasuke, are you alright? We heard you got your legs broken."

Hira nodded, nearly demanding, "You must tell me how you got them healed so fast! That's extraordinary." he spoke, stars shining in his eyes as he spoke. Sasuke flustered a bit as all eyes fell on him, hand moving to point at Karin. Hira blinked, "Karin? You did this? With your blood?" he asked curiously before asking Sasuke, "Wait, does that mean you drank her blood?" he pressed.

Sighing a bit, Sasuke nodded with a fluster. It was weird to think he had drunk blood from another human being. Urg. Nasty. Karin nodded, "Yeah, I used my blood and a bit of basic medical supplies to heal his legs."

The older medic asked, "Is this blood thing something you can learn? That sounds super useful, why don't we have more medics like that? Is it something that runs in your family?" this earned a briefly hurt look from the girl, and a light glare from Neji.

Karin quickly recovered, used to other people's insensitivity. "No, it's unique to the women in my mother's family. You can not learn it. There aren't a lot of medics using their powers for this because there aren't a lot of them left."

When Hira opened his mouth to ask where they were, Seikatsu put a hand on the child's shoulder. Normally, Hira had a good head on his shoulder. But when it came to his interests, he tended to get excited. Looking up, he noticed Karin looked very uncomfortable and almost cornered. He wanted to punch himself for being so blunt. Before he could apologize, Seikatsu made the announcement for class to start.

It carried on easily for a while, up until it was nearly time to go home. Which, of course, meant it was time for them to get their grades back.

The younger ones felt their stomach do flips in protest as the man began handing back papers. Neji could have cried. 79%. He had never scored under 92%! Even then, he had felt ashamed! His father died with complete faith Neji would be alright because of his smarts, but here he was shaming the clan beyond salvation! He bit his lip. He deserved to be punished for such an act of complete disrespect to their clan name. Would he be punished by Konan or Pain? He didn't think they would know how to activate the seal, but still...

Hinata frowned a bit, looking at the 52% which was plastered over the front. Her head lowered a bit in similar shame. Her father would be so ashamed. She would have extra training for months after a grade like this. She had never been to school, but she knew well enough from her early tutoring this was terrible. She bit her lip. Konan wouldn't think she was a fool and abandon her as her father had threatened to, would she? She like her new home though...she didn't want this.

Biting his lip, Sasuke looked down at the page. Lining the top was 75%. He barely passed. He was a shame to the Uchiha name. They were supposed to be intelligent. He was the son of the head, he should have been the best among his clan, just after Itachi! Oh, Itachi. He would be so ashamed.

Gaara got his paper and blinked. 34%. He looked at the others, noticing the sharp drop. It wasn't that he was unintelligent, no, it was quite the opposite really. He was brilliant. But he tended to be motivated and praised when he put effort into physical learning, so he usually didn't bother with written knowledge. It didn't bother him too much, then.

Looking down at the paper, Naruto felt his face heat up unbearably. 11%. The only part he had gotten completely right was the tracing his name part which had been difficult in itself. Then he got the majority of the ninja morals part right, at least. He bit his lip. Nagato had assured him he was brighter than he thought. He had let the man down. Karin and he seemed so smart. They wouldn't hate him when they found out he wasn't, would they?

Karin was handed a packet similar to the ones they just got back, and Seiketsu nodded firmly. "That will be all. Have a good weekend. Dismissed."

They all nodded, the younger ones quickly folding their papers up in shame. They all headed outside, trying to look surer of themselves than they waited out in the same spot they had the day prior. This time they all headed off, besides four of them. Yoi, Shu, Kicho, and Hira stayed put with them. No one said anything for a long while, the kids leaning against the wall, and Yoi and Shu standing beside them. Hira was inside with their sensei, helping clean up the classroom quietly with Kicho.

Sasuke, who stood on the far end beside Yoi, glanced up at him. He asked curiously, "Are you waiting for someone? How come Amai is leaving with Totsu today instead of Kicho?" he asked curiously. Shu smiled a bit at his smart notice.

The blue-haired man yawned a bit. "We figure we should stay with you until someone comes to pick you up. The older people in the village get pretty suspicious of outsiders until they get to know them," he explained, and Sasuke realized for the first time, as he looked through the rain he could see a few villagers glancing at them. He supposed he had blocked this out, used to it from the last few months. "Usually they leave together. They live in the same compound. Amai's family took Totsu in a long time ago. Yesterday she just walked him home because he gets nervous being alone in the village, and we needed to speak with you." he explained.

Neji tilted his head. "How come they're not going home then? At my old school once the after school clean up hour was over we just headed home.?" he questioned curiously, since Hira and Kicho had remained inside with Seikatsu.

Shu chuckled lightly. "Well, long story short, Hira lives with our sensei. Then he likes to keep an eye on Kicho since she lives in the village alone. Her father's a traveling merchant."

They nodded in understanding, and just as a few more questions were about to sprout, they heard the voice of a certain woman. She had paper up over her head, protecting her from the rain with its thick layers. She headed over to them with a thin smile, seeing them under the school overhang. She formed her paper so it covered them too. Hinata practically darted over to her, connecting herself to the woman's side. Naruto mimicked this action, smiling thinly.

Gaara stood up slowly, making his way to stand beside Naruto with his eyes matching the other's nervously happy ones. Neji and Sasuke gave the other two a slight wave, before heading over to stand beside Konan. Both boys hung back a bit, and all the children besides Gaara seemed extra skittish to the woman. She smiled thinly at Yoi and Shu, who bowed from their spot under the overhang. Karin had come over after them all, walking at a normal pace. She took Hinata and Naruto's hands, and soon they were off.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

Once they got home, the children quickly headed off. Karin headed to her room. She had taken over Neji's room since the older boy usually slept with Hinata anyway. She sat down and pulled out the packet. She got to work on it, not paying the other's much mind.

Sasuke headed to his bedroom, trying his best to hide the tears welling in his eyes. Once he got to his room, however, the flood gates opened. He felt his cheeks wetten as he sat down, leaning against the door. He kept himself quiet, looking over all the missed marks. He didn't want Itachi to see this. He would be so ashamed of him. He found his thoughts trailing to his father. The man wouldn't be surprised at all. His mother would probably have him doing all sorts of extra chores, and point out his incapability to do as well as Itachi. She's say that it wasn't his job to be a copy of Itachi. But still...

He brought his knees to his chest, throwing the packet against the opposite wall. He hated this, it wasn't fair! He always tried so hard but got so low. This was terrible. He was a failure.

Neji headed to his and Hinata's shared room, sitting down on the bed. Hinata followed him, sitting beside him. The girl bit her lip. "We did bad..." she murmured. Neji nodded sadly in confirmation. They had done bad.

"We'll just have to go back and fix our mistakes. Then we'll know better for next time. Maybe if Konan-Sama sees we're trying hard she won't punish us too harshly." he spoke, paranoia poking out. He rubbed his forehead subconsciously, and they both quickly got to work. Hinata did not want Konan to be disappointed in her.

Naruto headed outside to the training grounds. He took his paper with him. Looking over it, his face warmed. Everyone had got better than him! He tossed it in an outside trash can, not wanting to look at it. He sulked, sitting and looking at the sky. He hated this. He finally had a family, and he couldn't even do something as simple as homework.

Gaara had made his way to Sasori as per usual, sitting beside the other man to watch him work with his puppets. Sasori hummed, "Welcome home, Gaara." glancing around. "Where's everyone else?" he asked casually.

The smaller redhead shrugged a bit. "I think everyone's in their room, besides Naruto. They're upset about their homework grade, I think." he spoke softly.

Quirking a brow, Sasori asked, "What kind of grade did you get on the work?" not taking his eyes off the puppet as he asked. Itachi, who stood nearby, leaned on the counter to listen in along with Konan.

"I got 34%. I couldn't understand most of it." he shrugged.

Frowning a bit, Sasori spoke. "Gaara, I understand you don't know a lot since you haven't been in school before, but I want you to make sure you're listening to the parts of the class that aren't only about combat. I noticed that was the main part you were struggling with. Keep an ear out for technical and emotional information, alright?"

Seeing the little boy's nod, he let it go for now. Itachi and Konan both frowned. They should probably go check on the other children if their scores were something to be worried about. As Konan headed upstairs, she noticed Pain's six paths speaking to Naruto.

Naruto looked like he was pouting a bit as Pain hovered behind him. "What's wrong, child?" the orange-haired man asked. Naruto snorted a bit at that, and Pain moved a hand to the back of his neck to lightly trace his fingers over it.

Naruto whimpered, leaning forward in startlement of the sudden touch. He hadn't been expecting it, but now that it was there, he found it to be surprisingly relaxing as it rubbed the back of his neck soothingly. He lowered his head a bit, into his knees, which were brought up to his chest. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "I'm not smart like you or Karin."

Pain quirked a brow at this, lightly moving to rub the boy's back. "You aren't a fool, Naruto. You just haven't got the chance to practice traditional data as long as the others have," he assured him. It felt wrong, seeing the bubbly boy so miserable. "You'll learn in time. For now, all you can do is try your best to learn from your teacher and classmates."

Naruto blinked up at him, not expecting the light assurance from the other. Despite himself, a large smile plastered his lips. He moved back a bit, laying a hand beside Pain's leg. It was simple, but it helped him a lot. He was content with his grade as long as Pain didn't dislike him. He would do better, and make the man proud!

Konan smiled a bit at the two, heading upstairs. She could hear the muffled noises in each room but wasn't prepared when she opened the door to the Hyuuga's room. Both seemed to stiffen, on alert. She didn't like it. Why were they so nervous? "Hey, guys," she spoke gently in greeting.

Before she could continue, Hinata pressed his lips together in a frown, looking away. Neji flinched violently. Her words died in her throat. She took a step forward to comfort them, but Neji's arms flew over to pull Hinata into a hug and drug her closer to his lap as if protecting her. All the while his eyes were widened, like a thief caught in the act.

She came closer, slower now, noticing Neji's hold tightening on the girl who hid closer to his chest. "Come now, don't be afraid. Nothings going to hurt you. Shh." she assured, taking small steps until she stood beside them. She reached out to gently run a hand through Neji's long hair, the boy looking down a bit. He bit his lip as she asked, "What's wrong, Neji? Why are you and Hinata scared?"

The boy looked down, unsure of himself. He hated to admit it, but he didn't know what to do. "I don't know what to do," he muttered nervously. "I'm supposed to protect Lady Hinata from threats besides her father. B-But you're her mother now so I don't know to protect her from you or not." cursing the slight stutter in his voice.

Konan's eyes softened as she sat beside him. "Neji, I won't hurt you or Hinata. You two are safe," she assured them. She moved a hand over his headband, "Here, let's remove this. You look like your sweating from all this. Covering your forehead will only make it worse."

Neji's hands flew back, protecting his forehead and trying to tear away from her hands. "Don't! Please, don't," he muttered, not liking it when his seal wasn't covered. It made him feel exposed. She rose her hands, gently petting his long brunette hair.

"Alright, I won't hurt you. I promise. You're alright. You can keep it on." she shushed him. The boy wiped his eyes, feeling suddenly tired as she rubbed his back. "I'm not going to hurt you or Hinata. I promise." she pulled the boy into her lap, and Hinata to her side. The smaller girl blinked a bit, not used to seeing her older cousin receiving such care. Usually, there was no one to offer it, and even if there was, she had always assumed he would reject it.

Konan promised them, "I won't hurt any of you, ever. I'm your mother now. I'll keep you safe." she murmured them both soft reassurances. Meanwhile, Itachi was only just now pressing the door open.

Sasuke had refused to move from in front of the door, focusing on trying to hide his crying before his brother got in. When Itachi finally did push in, Sasuke made a beeline for the other side of the room where his bed was. Sasuke sat with his back to his brother, not sure if his eyes were still red-rimmed.

Itachi sat behind him on the other side of the bed, sighing a bit. He slipped off his Akatsuki coat so he was only wearing his normal netted shirt and pants beneath. He loosened his hair a bit, making him look much more relaxed. Sasuke took the bait, asking after a hesitant moment, "What are you doing?"

The older smiled thinly. "Relaxing. Come here, Sasuke. It's just me. Just Nii-san." he assured the boy, tugging him over so he was resting in his arms. Sasuke hesitantly allowed this, head lowered a bit. He ran his hands through his little brother's shorter hair. "What's wrong? I heard you got your papers back today."

Sasuke glanced away, clenching his fists. His shoulders slumped a bit. "I got a 75%," he muttered shamefully. "Mother and father would be so unhappy." wiping his eyes which welled a bit as he admitted it. "I know it's true, but I just don't want to remember them like that." he muttered painfully.

Itachi rubbed his back gently. "That's not true. Just don't think about it for now. I've got you. Your safe with me here." he promised.

Noticing the lack of disappointment at the grade, Sasuke looked up at him. "You're not disappointed in my grade?" he asked, honestly surprised. Itachi wasn't judgemental--far from it-- but he assumed since his mother and father where he would be too in this particular area.

Itachi kissed his forehead lightly. "Of course not, Otouto. You'll do better next time. I'll help you work on the parts you missed." lifting the book from the ground nearby. Sasuke relaxed in Itachi's arms as they began going over the missed questions, his nervousness slowly sinking.

Feeling the comfort from the elder ninja, the kids knew one thing. They trusted these people with their lives, even if they had only just got to know them. There was still plenty more to go, though.


	15. Hero Worship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: A time skip had occurred-- it has been eight years. I plan on creating a separate story for miscellaneous events and daily shenanigans for the kids/Akatsuki during this time-skip later on. For now, this story is set to continue focusing on the plot of this AU and their overall bonding. I hope you all continue to enjoy it, though. 
> 
> New Ages: 
> 
> Time Skip: 8 Years
> 
> New Ages:
> 
> Neji: 16
> 
> Karin: 15
> 
> Sasuke: 14
> 
> Naruto: 14
> 
> Gaara: 14
> 
> Hinata: 13

It had been a good few years for the children. They had all experienced things previously unknown to them-- birthday parties, holidays, sleepovers, and much more. They had grown used to everyday life with the Akatsuki-- Wake up, eat breakfast together, go to school, hang out around town until dinner, then be home by dark. They were all fine with this, the now teens having no real issues with their much less stressful lives. Well, for the most part.

"Hn! I was just looking, gramps. You don't gotta get your panties in a twist." Naruto insisted he had done nothing wrong as he spoke, the blonde teen being dragged along by a very annoyed Hidan.

The silver-haired man didn't seem to care for his words however, only growing more annoyed. "What did I say about calling me that, brat? You aren't allowed to touch my god damn scythe, and you know it." pressing the door to Naruto's room open.

The room was nowhere near as plain as it once was. Rather than the original plain white, it was now a bright orange with the occasional picture of their family framed to the wall with tape. There were also miscellaneous art supplies covering the teen's desks and bed, not that he seemed to mind. Konan had told him a thousand times to keep it clean, but Naruto seemed to have trouble with it. Hidan easily tossed the teen onto his bed, slamming the door behind him and ignoring the pouting blond.

Hidan turned to leave the part of the house which they had deemed the 'children's hallway' when he spotted Gaara. He looked over at the redhead, quirking a brow at him. Gaara only shrugged. "Mother wants Naruto and me to come to the study room. She said she needs our weekly samples," he explained, the boy's voice having grown stronger and less scratchy as he spoke more and more. He also had forsaken his stuffed bear in exchange for a gourd, which Deidara had crafted for him on his tenth birthday.

Hidan nodded, running a hand through his hair and heading off in the other direction. He didn't have the nerve to deal with them right now. Gaara himself pressed the door open just enough to see Naruto pouting. The blond was moving some paints off his bed, placing them off to the side on his dresser. Gaara cleared his throat, getting Naruto's attention fairly quickly. "Naruto, mother wants us upstairs for sample time."

Naruto groaned lightly at that, but stood and made his way upstairs anyway. "Man, I know she said we weren't old enough to know yet, but I wish she would just tell us why we need these." walking up the stairs and opening the door, only receiving a light nod from Gaara in response.

As they entered the top floor, they were met with the normal sight-- Nagato asleep in bed while Konan stood on the other side of the room, in the doorway of the science lab which was added nearly seven years ago now, ready to take their blood. Naruto and Gaara slowly moved around Nagato, careful to be quiet and not wake him up. They doubt he would blame them if they did, but they knew he needed his rest. Karin's slow healing had helped him so he was able to at least move around the village, but he still needed a lot of natural rest too.

Once they were over to sit down in the pair of chairs, they rolled up their sleeves as usual. Konan said nothing at first, wrapping a ribbon around their arms and pulling out a pair of clean needles. Naruto was, of course, the one to strum up a conversation. "Mom, do you know when dad'll be awake?" referring to Nagato. Technically Nagato and she weren't yet married, but it was fairly obvious to everyone in the organization they had feelings for each other. Not that they tried to hide it. As such, the kids had all quickly taken to calling the man their father.

Naruto had been first, followed quickly by Karin. They were simply the closest to him. Hinata and Gaara gave in after a bit, surprised by how different the man was in comparison to their own fathers. Sasuke and Neji were the ones that took the longest, both holding great respects for their birth fathers. Sasuke did break before Neji however, his father never having been as affectionate as Neji's.

"He's been asleep for a few hours. It's almost time for dinner, so he needs to be woken up anyway. Go ahead when we're done with this." removing the needle from his arm and setting it aside to do Gaara's. "What do you need?" Konan asked curiously.

Naruto smiled widely at his own words. "It's our final year in the academy, mom. We'll be starting our internships. One year of that, and we'll be set to graduate! We'll be real ninja! I want to learn from the best of course-- dad."

Konan nodded in understanding. "Oh, I see. I almost forgot." she mused. Her babies were growing fast. She sighed lightly at the thought. "I was so nervous to let Neji intern when he was your age. I thought Nagato was going to declare war on the sand when he and Kisame came back injured. Luckily it was only a few scratches. I'm just glad you all have been smart enough to choose strong ninja to intern with so far. Karin just finished hers with Kicho, and Neji has been long since done with his. I just hope you twos go as well as theirs did." she finished, placing yet another bandaid over their arms.

As she watched Naruto quickly rush to Nagato's bed to wake him up, she lightly smiled at Gaara. She wasn't feeling the best these days, and it was no mystery why. In only three or four years, it would be time for Tobi to make his move. They would need to extract the beast. Three years might seem like a long time, but she had been trying to find out how to save them from death from the extractions for nearly nine years now. Unlike Orochimaru, none of them knew how to do this kind of thing. But he was long gone, and they would never let him a test on the children.

Well, that's what she told herself. But they had to do something-- they were running out of time.

TKTKTKKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

Naruto sat down on the side of the bed, lightly shaking Nagato awake. "Dad? It's time to get up. I gotta ask you something." he insisted, smiling widely as he saw the redhead sit up.

Over the years, Nagato had finally got some meat on his bones. He wasn't bulky by any means, but he was no longer skin and bones as he had been. His dark, swirled eyes matched Naruto's happy ones easily. "Yes? What is it?" he asked, sitting up in a more straight position to better see the boy.

"Well, you know how I just started my last year and need a mentor? I was wondering if maybe it would be okay for you too?" he asked with a pleading look. Nagato was surprised only briefly at the request, as he had been expecting the boy to ask him. He just hadn't known it would be right after his nap.

He nodded, however, not having the heart to tell him no. He did feel it was only fair to warn him though. "I would love for you to officially train under me, Naruto. The only issue is that I'm the leader of the village, and I rarely go out to fight besides when I go out on kill missions. That means you would be learning more about taking care of a village than anything. Then when you do go out with me for kill missions...well...I'm not a very gentle person out of the village. My killing techniques may be more violent than you're used to. Are you sure you can handle that?"

The blonde stopped for a moment to think about it. On one hand, he really wanted to learn from Nagato, his dream of joining the Akatsuki not having wavered over the years. On the other hand, he had never really seen many gorey fights because of how secure the village was.

Not to mention the Akatsuki was clear that they were not allowed to leave the village without assistance because they could be hurt. Now that the kids were older, they understood that they were technically missing, and there was no doubt they would be taken if someone recognized them.

Naruto took a breath-- he would just have to get over it. "I'm fine with having to learn more about the village. I'll have to it I want to join you guys one day. Besides, I can deal with a little gore. I've never even been in a real fight. I know you and mom just want to protect us, but if I want to be in the Akatsuki when I'm older I have to be stronger like you all. I'll do what I have to if it helps me get there." he smiled widely in assurance to his father.

Nagato nodded ever so slightly, resting a hand on the blond's spiked hair. "If you think you can do it, I'll be happy to teach you. No come, you said it's almost time for dinner. Let's head downstairs." watching as the boy stood and headed down quickly at the mention of food, Nagato sent Konan a tired smile as he noticed her not so inconspicuously watching them.

He also noticed Gaara had already gone, not that he had to guess where the boy had gone. He was sure the boy was asking Sasori to mentor him-- anyone in the Akatsuki could say that much. Gaara had clung to Sasori the first week they arrived, and he hadn't let go since. Sasori had no option but to return the affections of the young boy after some time. The two were now as close as he was to Naruto.

TKTKTKKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKKTKTKTK

Gaara headed over to a bedroom on the left side of the second floor. He pressed the door open quietly, entering to see Deidara and Sasori both covered in paint and roughhousing. Deidara and Sasori pinned playfully, rubbing the red paint from his hands onto the other's shirt. The entire room looked a mess, but they both stopped as Gaara entered. Deidara smiled widely at the boy in greeting, Sasori waving him over as they both sat up. The older redhead wiped the paint from his face, watching as Gaara sat down beside them. "Hey, what's up, buddy?"

Not seeming to be affected by the paint roughhousing or the two being in the same room, Gaara settled to sit just beside them, careful not to sit in any of the spilled paint. He tilted his head, "Sasori-nii, will you be my mentor for my graduation year?" he asked, his voice having smoothed out over the years of talking more freely, though still soft.

Sasori nodded, offering the boy a serious look, however. "Of course. I would be glad to teach you more. There is only a limited about of skill I can teach you when we're in this village. I think it'll be good for you to get some outside experience with other ninjas."

After all, Sasori knew that having only four or five classmates a year would limit their knowledge of preventing an attack. Even if they had Seikatsu as their teacher, there was only so much the man could teach. Some things could only be learned through experience and hard work.

Deidara easily pipped in, "Yeah, some real experience will do you good. Plus with that sand of yours, you'll make an amazing ninja for when we need to work in the sand village. You'll do well in assassinations or things of that sort, I think. We probably won't be able to pass you off as a spy though with that hair of yours."

Gaara only nodded to this, not the least bit fazed by the idea of attacking what was once his own. After all, he had long since accepted that they never wanted him there. It's better to stick with those who appreciate him, he figured. "I actually think I could do spying if I change my hair up and maybe when I learn a bit more. Everyone always says they don't notice me standing in the background. I've heard more love confessions from you guys than I would have like to." he frowned.

Deidara smirked, Sasori only looking away slightly with an annoyed grunt at the boy's words. "If you would make more noise, people wouldn't be spilling their guts in front of you," Sasori spoke after a brief moment, arms crossing as he looked at the boy.

Gaara only crossed his arms back in reply. "Well, perhaps if you didn't spill your guts in the living room, I wouldn't have been there to step in on it." he pointed out.

Deidara seemed amused, but Sasori only reached over to lightly pinch the young teen's cheek despite the glare he got from him. "Silence, disciple." he playfully scolded with a sly smirk.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKKTKTKTKTK

It was Sasuke who was the last one to ask his chosen member to mentor him. Though, to be fair, it was far from his fault. As soon as the teen got home from school, he found himself entering Itachi and Kisame's shared room. He had long since got over the awkwardness of walking in on his all-powerful elder brother cuddling into Kisame's side, but that didn't mean it was something he liked.

As such, he was mildly happy to walk into an empty room. It was only after thirty minutes that he grew bored, wishing his brother had been in the room. He wound up settling on Itachi's bed, boredly practicing making illusions with his Sharingan. At first, it was simply warping Itachi's bed to look like a weasel shape, then it was Kisame's bed into the shape of a stuffed shark, the walls turned from blue to white with sharks swimming on them, then eventually the floor to water.

Sasuke filled his boredom with refining the water to look as real as possible, the beds to look softer, and the paint to look brighter. It was just a way to fill time. He hadn't intended on doing it, but that didn't change Itachi and Kisame's surprise as they returned from the mission. When the door opened and they gaped at the room briefly, Sasuke quickly dropped the illusion as he realized what he had done.

"Oh...hey big brother. Hey Kisame. You took a long time on your mission so I got bored. I was just imaging what your child's room will look like when you have one." he teased with a smirk, not faltering when both of the elder ninjas gave him a scolding glare, setting their equipment down.

Kisame was the first one to voice his annoyance, of course. "Don't be a brat. What are you even doing here? You shouldn't enter while we're away on a mission." crossing his arms at the boy and standing over him as the teen sat on Itachi's bed.

Sasuke easily slid around him, ignoring him for the most part, though allowing one last comment to make it's way past his lips. "Oh, wow, practicing your fatherly scolding already. He's dedicated brother, keep em'." stopping in front of a tired and only half-amused Itachi.

Seeing his elder brother's stern look, however, Sasuke decided Itachi most likely wanted an answer to Kisame's question as well. "Why I'm in here? Simple. It's the same reason Gaara was in Sasori and Deidara's room. The same reason Naruto went to father and mother's room." he smirked, leaning forward to lean his hands on his elder brother's shoulders. "I want you to be my mentor for my final year."

"No."

Sasuke was quickly baffled, not having expected to be shut down so quickly. "But brother-"

"No," Itachi repeated, moving his hand to remove Sasuke's smaller ones from his shoulders. He placed the teens by his sides, watching as the younger Uchiha sent him a hurt and confused look. He sighed heavily. "Sasuke, Kisame and I go on too many assassination missions." closing the door behind him so no one would eavesdrop.

He lowered his voice, "You know I don't like doing most of these missions. The only reason I do them is to keep you safe here in the Rain Village. I won't bring you along on some of the highest-ranking missions in the village and risk you being hurt. How do you think that would make everyone feel if you got hurt? Do you think I want to see you in pain? Do you think Hinata would want to see one of her big brothers in pain? How would Neji react, seeing his ultimate rival beaten? No, you need to mentor under someone like Yoi or Shu. Someone who's advanced in skill enough to teach you plenty, but won't have S-Rank missions constantly. It's safest this way."

He had his hands gently holding Sasuke's shoulders, trying to have the boy understand. He had given up everything to protect Sasuke-- Sasuke was one of his only reasons for living. He couldn't lose him just because he wanted to play hero to his brother and mentor him.

Kisame was silent and said nothing at first, but sat on his bed with a more serious expression now. "Your brother is right, kid. I know I agreed to take on Neji during his graduation year, but that was different."

"Different how? Because he's stronger than me? Because he's smarter?" Sasuke snapped. Even though many years had passed, he had been raised for six years of his life to compete with Itachi. It would only make sense that these things would be implanted into his subconscious as a reason for him not being accepted. When he was younger, it could pass through as waves of sadness and he could go on after a bit of comfort. Now that he was older, the subconscious idea seemed to wave out more in anger and jealousy when it did pop up, though it was rare, and they were trying to help the teen overcome this.

Kisame remained calm, knowing this as well as Itachi. "No. It's because I had no idea what I was doing by taking on Neji. He constantly came home injured because Itachi and I were too focused on not letting any of us die to attack. We were all defense, and it harmed the mission as well as Neji. We know better now than to try to take another one. I doubt Sasori or Nagato know fully what they're doing."

Shaking his elder brother's arm off, Sasuke crossed his own with a serious look. He looked up at Itachi, unflinching. "Exactly. You've already made your mistakes, so you'll do better this time. I've been training with my brother for years. Neji only trained with you occasionally before since he preferred solo training. Not to mention we're both Uchiha, so we have similar fighting styles and strengths to go with the bloodline. Like the Sharingan. Who's going to teach me to use my Sharingan better if it isn't you, brother?" he practically begged, though more in a frustrated tone than a pleading one.

Itachi narrowed his eyes. "I said no. That is final. Our missions are too high ranking for you to deal with as you are. Perhaps if you had more experience in a real fight, but you don't. Now go ask Yoi or Shu. Any chuunin will do. You have plenty of lower-ranking friends to ask. Hell, ask Neji. He might be low leveled since he's only a year into the program, but he'll have plenty to show with the right level missions. I won't risk you getting yourself killed just because of your childish hero worship." moving the boy by the shoulder towards the door gently. He didn't miss the upset glare Sasuke gave him, but let it be as he knew he was in the right to worry about his brother. It was his job as an older brother, after all. He gave his brother a small ruffle of the hair, watching as his shoulder slumped, and closed the door softly.

He hated to say it, but it was true. Sasuke's obsessive hero-worship of him would get the boy killed if it continued as it had for most of his life. He would rather Sasuke be safe and hate him than happy and dead.


	16. Nii-san Knows Best?

Throughout the night, Sasuke seemed sulky. The elder members noticed this but didn't comment. It wasn't unusual for Sasuke to sulk, after all. They assumed it would ease but by the end of the weekend. It normally didn't last long. The younger ones, however, were either annoyed or concerned to see their brother upset.

Sasuke sat in his room, ignoring the occasional knock from Naruto or Gaara asking him if he was alright. He didn't want to talk to them. Both of them got to join their idols, but he couldn't. Just because it was 'too dangerous'. He knew his brother and Kisame had some of the hardest missions in the Akatsuki besides the zombie duo, and realistically it made sense they wouldn't want him to join them. To call out his idolization of his elder brother as a bad thing, though? How was it wrong that he wanted to be like him? Though he could see the reason, that didn't mean he had to like it.

Just as his anger was cooling down, however, his door opened. He turned, giving the intruder a nasty glare, Sharingan blazing. He didn't even care to focus on who it was as he growled. "Don't you know how to knock?" he barked, words trailing off as he realized who it was.

Tobi had entered, closing the door behind him. He wore his normal orange mask, his Akatsuki coat hanging off him. Sasuke had trailed off not out of fear, but rather surprise. Tobi rarely came to visit them, but when he did, he was normally playful and loud. Now, however, he held himself upward in a straight position. His shoulders were pushed back. Despite not being able to see anything past one eye, Sasuke could see the focus of it. The focus on him. The teen's words had died in his throat, not sure why he was here. Had someone been hurt?

The man locked Sasuke's door, slowly making his way towards the teen. "Sasuke~, you seem upset, my boy." he hummed, though his voice was not its normal playfulness. It was much deeper than Sasuke had ever heard it before, more serious. Tobi was acting stange, and Sasuke wasn't sure he liked it. Why wasn't he being the annoying blabbermouth Sasuke had grown up with?

Sasuke didn't let his nerves show, or so he hoped, instead bringing his hands up into his lap. "Hn, it's none of your concern," he spoke, hoping giving him the cold shoulder would make him either get to the point or move on. Unfortunately, it did neither.

"None of my concern? Why, Sasuke, of course, your distress is of my concern. I'm the oldest Uchiha alive, and you're the youngest. It is my duty to make sure the next generation is strong. You're the baby of our clan. The future. How could I not watch out for you?" he cooed in a way that made Sasuke weary.

Sasuke pointed out with doubt, scooting away as Tobi sat beside him, "You didn't care for the future of the clan much when you killed them with Itachi." knowing Itachi himself had done it to create a new future, but unsure if Tobi's plans aligned with Itachi's plans. Not when Tobi had said he killed them because 'they were mean to Tobi'. The man had to of done something wrong to make them upset. Sasuke hadn't really questioned it much until now since Tobi honestly seemed to idiotic to be as slippery as Itachi. Now that he was hearing this alternate voice, though, he wasn't so sure.

Hearing Tobi speaking in the first person was odd too, Sasuke noted. "No, no. That was the past of the clan. It needed a fresh start, with those strong enough to carry it. With Itachi, you, and me. We can make a truely fierce clan..." he paused for a moment, before sighing. "Or, rather, Itachi and I can."

Accusation quickly left Sasuke's mouth. "What's that supposed to mean? I'm strong! I'm intelligent! I could be just as strong as Itachi one day!" he barked, fist clenching.

Tobi nodded. "Yes, of course, I have no doubt you can even surpass Itachi. The only issue is..." he trailed off, much to Sasuke's annoyance. "Well, you don't have the right environment to grow into someone who could make a mark in our clan's new history. Your brother loves you far to much to ever let anything happen to you. He killed the clan and went back on his plan within a year. He just can't let you fly out of your nest. Not that it's a bad thing. It is good he cares for you. It will make for a good life on your part. Yes, sheltering you is for the best, I suppose. Itachi and I can focus on building up the clan's power and you can perhaps father the children. Maybe you can help teach them morals or such while we protect you to give you the chance. Yes, that seems like the best plan since Itachi won't want you hurt."

Sasuke frowned. "I don't want to be protected. I'm strong, and Itachi will teach me to be a good ninja. He just wants me to get a good start with lower-level ninja, that's all." he reasoned, trying to defend his brother despite still being angry at him.

A chuckle escapes Tobi. "Oh? Is that what he's told you? I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh, but it's just hard to imagine. You know he sees you as a mere child, and I don't see that changing once you start doing low ranking missions. If anything, he might be content with you doing C-Rank missions forever. After all, you would never object. Look at you now. He killed your family, you forgave him within a month. He supported Konan in taking you from the leaf, you forgave him from taking your home away. He forced you into a new family, you forgave him. He shoved you to the side when you expressed you want to get stronger, and now you'll obey him and ask Yoi or Shu, won't you?"

"My big brother only wants the best for me. He killed them and took me to keep me safe. He doesn't want me to go on missions to keep me alive. He..." the teen blinked as he came to the bitter realization. His brother did do everything to keep him safe, yes, but was it true? Did Itachi do it because he didn't trust him to be strong enough on his own? Would he ever see him as his own person or just an eternal younger brother?

Hearing Sasuke's silence, Tobi decided the time was right. It was time to make him move. "You know Sasuke, it's like I said. I'm only here to do what's best for our clan. Perhaps...no. Itachi would kill me to even suggest such a thing. This is exactly why he doesn't like me." he sighed.

Sasuke frowned at the older man, "What? Do you know what would make big brother understand that I'm not weak? Tell me." he demanded.

"Well...perhaps if you disobeyed him, just this once. It would hurt him, but it would prove the point that you can make your own choices and forge your own path. Perhaps if you chose a different mentor than him, but someone strong. Someone who would have missions ranked just as high as his and Kisame's." Tobi suggested.

Sasuke was all too emotionally driven, not noticing one bit as he continued to fall into the manipulation. After all, Tobi had helped raise him and the others for years. He was like the fun elder sibling who helped you sneak dango before dinner. "What about you? You're an Uchiha, so we'll have similar strengths, right? Not to mention you have a lot of solo missions, besides your main ones with Deidara. There would be a lot of chances for you to teach me things Itachi never would out of fear I would get hurt. Please, Tobi? I won't get in the way, and if brother asks, he won't get angry at you because I'm the one who asked." he reasoned.

Tobi only smiled, wrapping an arm around the poor oblivious teen. "Of course I'll teach you. I'll make you stronger than even Itachi himself," he promised.

TKTKTKTKKTKTKTKTKTKTKKTK

The next morning, Sasuke woke up in a fairly better mood. He headed to breakfast as per usual, meeting up with everyone and sitting on the side of the table where the teens usually ate. Slowly people filled in, taking their seat, and beginning to eat the eggs Itachi had oh so perfectly made. Breakfast continued in idle chatter, for the most part, the only thing of any importance to anyone being Nagato giving out a few missions.

Sasori and Nagato needed to send in the confirmation letters saying that they would take Gaara and Naruto on as students before they could take them on any actual missions. They figured that they could wait a day. Tobi, on the other hand, had stayed up the night before writing it already. He was prepared to deliver it on the way to his mission and simply take Sasuke with him. He stood, not giving the others and glance, and heading for the door as if it were ordinary as he spoke. "Sasuke-kun~ Let's head out! Tobi needs to deliver something and you're coming with him~." he giggled, reverted to his eerily childish self in front of the others.

Itachi was of course immediately on the alert. "Go? Where are you and Sasuke going?" glancing at his brother for an answer, and only receiving a shrug as the teen turned on his heel.

After a moment of thought, Tobi already gone, Sasuke gave him a brief answer. "Tobi agreed to train me, upon my request. He's the only person with a Sharingan willing to, after all." stepping out before Itachi had a chance to interfere.

Itachi stared wide-eyed at the door, momentarily snapped out of his cool persona. "Konan, Nagato! He can't train under Tobi! He could get hurt, Tobi's missions are far too difficult for him to assist with. You just sent him on an assassination mission, Nagato!"

The red-haired man could only frown. "Itachi, I wasn't aware Sasuke had chosen to mentor with Tobi. I assumed he would be going with you, hence why you got guard duty today." sighing. "I hate to put him in any danger, but he is a ninja too, Itachi. If he didn't feel like putting his life forward, he always had the option to go into the medical field or become a citizen. It's his choice to make. Once he returns home tomorrow, you can speak with him on it. You may try to convince him to transfer over to another, but you can not force him."

Itachi could only look around at the others in a desperate way, hoping someone would side with him and say Sasuke shouldn't be allowed to, but not a single person in the Akatsuki seemed willing to take away Sasuke's choice. He knew it was wrong to force him, but Itachi had dedicated his life to protecting the baby which had laughed so carelessly in his arms all those years ago. He couldn't help but wonder if his constant protection was the reason Sasuke's undeniable hero worship had begun.

He clenched his fist, rising with a false wave of calm covering his face. "Very well. I will be heading out to my gate duty. Kisame, come, we have the same mission. Let us go together." heading to the door before even getting a response from the shark-like man. The screeching of a chair being pulled out told him Kisame was following.


	17. The Belly of the Beast

Sasuke followed after Tobi, his stomach knotting at the look Itachi had given him when he had left. It wasn't disapproving as he had guessed, or even angry looking. He had looked...worried. Sasuke knew that was the entire issue-- that his brother wasn't willing to let down his overprotectiveness long enough for him to grow. It still hurt to see it, though.

He loved his brother more than life itself. He would willingly give up his life if it meant Itachi was safe. Not that he thought it would ever come to that-- his brother was much too strong to need his help. If he could just get a little stronger, though, he was sure he would be of some use to him.

The two Uchiha stopped outside the school as Tobi headed in to drop off the paperwork. It barely took more than a moment until he had returned, leading Sasuke towards the outskirts of the village, and tossing him a small bag on supplies. "There are a few things we need to go over if you're going to be my ward, Sasuke." Tobi had reverted to his serious yet light voice.

"One, the lessons I teach you to stay with you but are not to be spread. They are ruthless and an edge on the side of barbaric, but they work much better than the polite ways they teach you in the academy. 'Oh, if you could please give us the information, we won't have to fight.' rarely works, and only gives them an opening. Same with the missions. Do not tell others what happens to them. I do the mission reports to Nagato, you have no reason to whisper a word to anyone. These are not children's missions. This is work for the strong." Tobi explained.

Sasuke nodded in understanding as Tobi continued. "Two, do not question my instructions. I know much better than you at this point. When you better understand the ways of the ninja world, then maybe you can contribute to the conversation. Until then, listen, watch, and learn. A misplaced opinion or word could give the enemy space to attack or tell that there is an issue."

"Three, don't expect happy-go-lucky Tobi. He is gone when away from others. I've lowered such an appearance because it will be distracting when we train or speak. In front of others, I will use this persona to throw them off. I only show you my true self out of a sort of trust. I expect you to return it and tell me all you know." he finished up.

They stopped at the gate of a village. Sasuke read the lining over the gate, his heart squeezing. The sand village. This was where Gaara was from. "Follow those rules, and we will get along just fine. I am of course open to questions before and after the mission, but our result will not be swayed under any circumstances."

Sasuke nodded, hesitantly holding onto Tobi's robe's sleeve for a split second. Tobi turned to him, waiting for his question. Sasuke let go as Tobi settled to listen to him. "Why are we in the sand village? Isn't this where Gaara was from?"

Tobi nodded. "We've come to kill the Kage of this village, his father. Now that you all are becoming ninja, we need to kill him. He sees the tailed beast inside Gaara as a valuable piece; nothing more. If he sees Gaara, he will try to take him back. We will kill him before this happens."

Sasuke's stomach twisted as Tobi bounded off, not allowing him to ask the question buzzing around in his head. That was Gaara's father. They were going to kill Gaara's father. Sasuke couldn't imagine if Gaara and Sasori went out on a mission to kill his father then didn't tell him-- but Tobi had already said no speaking of the mission.

Soon they were on the outer gates of the Kage's office. It had been easy to slip past the guards with his academy training. He could see the man who looked so much like Gaara, writing away in his office. Tobi turned to Sasuke. "Create a soundproofing jutsu and cast it to the walls." Sasuke did as he asked. "Now, go into the hallway and take out any guards. I'll take on the Kage."

Sasuke looked like he wanted to argue-- they had just snuck past all the guards-- but also decided it was better than watching Tobi slice up Gaara's father. He headed off towards the hallway, quickly finding the guards. With little to no effort, he knocked them all out with a bit of the power Karin had started supplying for them in their weapons bag a few years ago. One whiff of it on a rag and you were out before you knew what hit you.

The teen took out seven or so guards, each of them crumbling to the ground without much resistance. Sasuke smiled proudly as he finished, but dropped it as he felt a kunai held to the back of his throat. He tilted his head a bit to see not a guard, but a blonde-haired girl, who looked rather angry. "What are you doing here? I hope you aren't dumb enough to try to attack the Kage." noticing the boy was surprisingly younger than herself.

Sasuke was about to pull his weapon when he met green eyes, strikingly similar to Gaara's in shape as well as sharing a similar color. He halted his weapon drawing. He was frozen. "You're Temari." he stated bluntly. She gave him a startled and weary look, so he fumbled, trying to explain. "Oh- my brother- I mean- Gaara told me about you," he explained.

She gave him a sneer but lowered her weapon out of curiosity. "You just called him your brother? My parents don't have any other children." her eyes turning dark. "You dare bring up my brother for your amusement, then mock my father on top of it? You'll die for that."

As she moved to draw her kunai, Sasuke matched her movements to block her. The clashing of metal drew the attention of the boy down the hall, making him come running up. That and a few passed out guards didn't help his suspicions. "Hey, sis, what's going on in here-" pausing as he saw the fight and quickly bringing out his puppets. Sasuke paled.

"Shit, I shouldn't have said that. I said way too much. I don't mean to start a fight-" he tried, much to the two sand siblings' annoyance.

The one he guessed was Kankuro quickly charged in for an attack. "You should have thought about that before attacking the sand village-!" Sasuke easily sidestepped them both, avoiding their attacks.

"Please stop attacking me. I don't want to have to kill you two." Itachi's words against killing innocents echoing in his head despite his best attempts to shoo them away.

Neither seemed ready to back down, and Sasuke took steps back, unsure what to do until he felt a chest behind him. He jumped a bit, swinging around to see Tobi. Despite his wearing a mask, Sasuke could hear the disapproving in his voice. "Unfortunately, Sasuke, that isn't a choice. You let them see you and get information out of you concerning Gaara from your shocked panic. They'll have to die." Tobi spoke, lifting his weapons.

Temari and Kankuro both seemed a lot more nervous now that someone so much larger than them was there, and dripping with blood too. He had just come out of their father's office, they both noticed with dread. Sasuke grabbed onto Tobi's arm as he moved to kill the other children. "Tobi! Stop! They're Gaara's siblings. He'll never forgive us if he knows we killed them. They're barely older than any of us. Mother and father would be upset if you killed them- they're just kids like us!" he pleaded, careful to not use any names that could let the siblings know exactly who had taken their brother.

Tobi scowled from behind his mask. "I agree to train you and this is my thanks? Disobedience and the breaking of the second rule on your first mission."

Sasuke ignored the baffled looks they got from the siblings. "I'll take any punishment you give for me doing this, but you've already killed his father. You can't take his siblings. It's wrong! It could hurt him!" he shouted, drawing the attention of far off guards. Tobi cursed under his breath as they ran towards them, taking guard over the sand siblings and preparing to attack.

Tobi turned on his heel, making way for the window with a growl as the guards came in. "You've drawn guards in. Your punishment will be you taking responsibility for your actions, like a true ninja. If you can escape, good. If not, well, they say strength grows from pain. This is what you wanted." he reminded with a sly look under his mask. "Let's see just how right Itachi was about you not being ready to face the world."

Then, just like that, Sasuke was alone. The guards blocked the window, getting the idea that the older ninja was going to leave the younger behind. Sasuke took a step back, trying to run to the halls. More guards. He was strong, but even he couldn't take on such large numbers. He was suddenly hit with the harsh realization-- Tobi was gone. He wouldn't protect him as Itachi would have. Pulling out a weapon, Sasuke could only barely shake off the thought. This was why he joined Tobi-- to make himself stronger. He just hadn't expected to be thrown into the belly of the beast so quickly.


	18. Alone but Loved

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: As you can probably tell, a Sasuke arc is about to begin. Please keep in mind that it'll be a fairly long arc. Some attention may be taken away from the other children. Keep in mind, though, I have an arc planned for all the kids. So they'll get their times to shine.

Sasuke woke up to feel himself in an uncomfortable position. His arms were bound behind his back, his body tied to a chair. He tried to move his legs but found them tied up as well. Sasuke did notice his sight wasn't blocked, at least. That meant they most likely didn't know of his Uchiha background. His mouth, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky-- it was tied tightly with some sort of cloth.

Since moving around was out of the option, Sasuke settled for glancing around and trying to stay calm. That was right. He needed to remember the training he had learned from his sensei. When being held by enemy ninja, it was best to get a look at your surroundings. He needed to find any possible exits.

Looking around, he only saw two possible exits. One was the main door, and the other was a side window most likely used to intimidate the one being interrogated by the high fall down. It was clearly a room used to interrogate enemy ninja. The room was white, blood crusted around every corner, but it looked old. It was clear they rarely had to interrogate others anymore-- most likely due to the fact the villages were in a time of peace and most rouge ninjas were strong enough to not get captured.

The blood was unsettling for the young teen, the moonlight hovering in through the window being the only source of light. Sasuke clenched his eyes, knowing he should try to keep quiet and not alert them to him waking, but it was a lot to take in. The blood scattered around, the full moon's light filling in, and the dull ache in his head reminded him too much of the massacre. He knew logically that it was all in his head, but the head injury he had undoubtedly got from being knocked out made him especially sensitive.

Sasuke squirmed a bit in his seat, trying to will his mind to ignore the blood and moon but to no avail. Soon enough, his attempts to staying quiet with the panic were destroyed. He twisted and turned in his chair, grunts, of course, leaving his cloth stuffed face in the process. It seemed that whatever he did, he couldn't get out of the chair. They had taken his weapons and drained his chakra. He was helpless.

Slowly, the struggling turned into full-on panic. He reeled his body as far from the chair as possible, eyes glowing a fearful red. Two tomoe slowly turned into three as they circled his pupil rapidly, breathing becoming labored as he yelled muffledly through the cloth. He growled and hissed, hitting his foot against the floor beneath to make as much noise as possible. He just wanted out of this room, damn it!

Eventually, someone did step in. It was the boy from earlier, though now he looked much more tired and worn out. He scowled at younger ninja who was making such noise in the middle of the night. "What the hell do you think you're doin', little punk? First, you and your buddy break in and kill the kage, now you can't be bothered to keep your mouth shut until sunrise? Who the hell do you think you are?" he hissed, grabbing Sasuke by the bangs of his short, dark hair to force him closer despite the bindings.

Sasuke grimaced at the tight hold, looking up at the older teen with nervousness. The lights had been switched on, and suddenly he wondered if subduing to his fear would lead him to his death. He was near during the time of the Kage's death-- he could very well be blamed for it. He couldn't answer the other's question, of course, so he settled for simple clenching his fists to help calm him down.

The sound of a lighter voice knocked him out of his blank stare up at the older teen. He painfully turned his head in the older teen's grip to see Temari standing at the doorway with crossed arms. "Brother, don't go roughing him up yet. There are a few things I need to clear up first." he relaxed lightly at her words, though he quickly returned to his stiffness as she pulled out a kunai and put it to his throat. He grunted in panic at that, though nodded a bit. He wouldn't say anything to put his village or family in danger, but he'd rather get the shit beat out of him without being gagged.

Temari pulled the gag from his mouth, allowing him to clench his sore jaw for only a split second before she began her questioning him. "You're Sasuke Uchiha, aren't you? You were in that batch of kidnapped kids from all those years ago. You disappeared along with our brother. It only makes sense, seeing your eyes" she concluded, turning his face back and forth in her hands to look into his eyes.

Sasuke nodded. It wasn't like it was something he could deny, anyway. She removed her hands from his face. "How do you know Gaara, and why did you call him your brother?" she stood over him, arms crossed as she questioned him.

The Uchiha lightly clenched his fists once more, straightening up as well as he could in the chair. Well, it was already out of the bag. "Gaara and I are not brothers by blood. We have simply close and refer to each other as brothers. I've seen the old articles in the newspaper detailing what they think happened to us. It's right. The same person who took Gaara, took me." closing his eyes briefly. "I can tell you're worried about him. Gaara is safe and happy with us. That much, I can assure you, but I won't speak of any other details of the people who took us.

Temari's eyes seemed to soften at that. Her little brother was safe, after all. Kankuro was the one to interrupt the silence, still seeming annoyed, bit now with a mix of pain in his voice. "Why won't you tell us anything else? Do they have you bugged? If you're worried the captors will kill you, Suna can offer its protection for you and the other children. You just need to tell us where they are."

Sasuke mused a bit, "You really don't listen well. I said Gaara was happy. All of us are. Our 'captors' treat us better than most of our parents ever did. They would never bug us."

Temari gave the younger teen a frustrated look, "If they take such good care of you guys, why did that man leave you behind? If that's the case, wouldn't he be punished for what he's done?" clearly not believing a word he said so far, or rather, having a hard time accepting it.

Sasuke's eyes turned downcast. He mentally scolded his foolish actions. He chose to not fight them all. He had disobeyed his sensei. He had chosen to not listen. He did not do what he did out of spite, he did it to strengthen him. He coldly spoke, "I've said all I'm willing to say. Take it as you will." his eyes narrowed slightly.

No matter what they did, he wouldn't become angry enough to spill information on his family. For their safety, he had to stay quiet until he was able to escape.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Konan was seething. "You left him where?" she hissed, storming towards an oh too calm Tobi.

"Konan~ It isn't Tobi's fault! Sasuke was a naughty boy. He didn't listen to Tobi and stayed with the enemy!" he threw his hands up in false innocence.

The masked man was honestly surprised at the rage that was unleashed upon his as he returned. He had expected Konan and Nagato to be angry. He had expected Itachi and Kisame to prepare to kill him for what he had done. Hell, he wouldn't be too surprised if Deidara cussed him out.

He hadn't expected the zombie combo to pull their weapons and pin him to the wall. He hadn't expected Sasori to have his puppet up and ready to strike him at any moment. He certainly wasn't expecting the glare he gained from Zetsu, who stood off to the corner with his arms crossed. That wasn't even counting the children, either.

Hinata was sitting on the couch, crying gently as she was soothed by Karin and Naruto alike. Both the Uzumaki sent him accusing glares for the absence of their brother. Gaara was part of the group cornering him, along with Neji who was glaring him down, Byakugan blazing. "You didn't even try to help him! Those wounds hardly look like they would have slowed you down to the point you had to abandon him!"

Tobi opened his mouth but got not a single word out as he felt large hands wrap around his throat. He stared wide-eyed at a looming Kisame. The sharp growled, "Sasuke might have joined you because he wanted to be stronger, but that gives you no right to abandon him." which meant a lot, coming from the man who had killed off many teammates before for simply slowing him down. "You swore you would do your best to keep him safe. You swore it the moment you signed those papers agreeing to be his sensei, damn it!"

Seeing Itachi suiting up by the door, Tobi had to admit he was a bit relieved the Uchiha hadn't picked a fight with him. He was pretty sure he could win, but it wouldn't be without cost when it came to Itachi's love for Sasuke. Though, it was also a bit nerve provoking to see him so obviously ignoring him. Nagato lightly put a hand on Itachi's shoulder, "Itachi, we're all upset by this. We shouldn't rush in, though. They'll be expecting us to return. Especially if Sasuke isn't able to stay quiet. Which, I wouldn't blame him if he couldn't. He's in a terrifying position between life and death if he's quiet."


	19. Help Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've time skipped past the torture this time, but there is still some minor gore throughout the chapter. So this is fair warning.

Sasuke charged through the forest, his arms paralleling his narrowed body in hopes of pushing himself further than he could normally go. There wasn't a single part of him that didn't hurt. After his refusal to give the two any more information, things had got bloody. Sasuke knew they were most likely hurting him out of the pain of losing their father, but Itachi's psychology lectures weren't doing him much good right now. He was injured-- badly.

With very little knowledge of medical ninjutsu, he couldn't heal more than little scrapes or cuts. The academy had prepared him for a lot, but not holes being torn through his arms and legs. Not kunai being plunged into him at every angle until it hurt to breathe. The lack of food and water he had been provided didn't help his situation much either. He had just barely been able to use what little chakra he had left to get out of there.

He had been running towards the south-east for about a day now. He knew the rain village had to be close. They had gone north-west to get to Suna, so it had to be this way. He knew he looked like a mess. He knew his guards were lowered no matter how to tried to raise them. He also knew even he needed to stop for a rest when he got the chance.

Sasuke parked himself in a small village between the borders of the villages. He gave a quick look around in the area. It seemed to be a run-down village-- mostly poor farmers and shady shop owners by the looks of them. It would be easy enough to snatch a bit of food. He didn't feel bad about tricking them-- he had grown up with the Akatsuki after all.

First, though, he should probably deal with the bleeding out of the situation. He had his Amegakure headband wrapped around his arm tightly to restrict the blood flow from a particularly large wound, but that wouldn't help forever. He would need to take it off soon or risk losing an arm.

The young Uchiha moved low, blending into the bland streets without a problem. He had specialized in stealth lessons, after all. He snuck around a corner, easily snatching some cloth from a merchant when his back was turned. They would work well to press on his wounds. He noticed some honey being sold at another stall and snatched it next. Kakuzu had always told them to use that instead of alcohol since it was cheaper, and Hidan had always followed up with annoyed yelling about how it was too painless. He always said they'd never learn to handle any pain if they used honey, but Sasuke wasn't in the mood for any more pain right now.

He snatched it, and there was only one thing left for dressing his wounds. He returned to the tailor's booth from before, now that he was gone and busy looking for the cloth. He seemed to assume it was the wind, so that worked to Sasuke's advantage. He snatched his needle and made his way towards the exit. He snatched a tomato and a raw beef slab from a food stand. It didn't seem the most sanitary to have the meat out in this heat, nor sitting side by side with veggies and fruit, but he supposed he would take what he could get.

Sasuke made his way to the woods, in the direction he assumed was the rain village. He figured it wouldn't hurt to take it-- if it was okay for Sasori to take people's dead bodies as puppets, why couldn't he have food and supplies to survive? He sat down about halfway through the forest, making himself a little fire with loose wood and stones. He settled a thin piece of wood over the fire and slung the meat chunk onto it to cook. It had a bit of a yellowish-brown color, but he could eat around those parts. It was a wonder that nasty village was still around.

He removed his shirt and took a breath. The many wholes and cuts scattering his body began to feel much more real now that the excitement had worn off. He laid straight on his back, stripping to his shorts with a huff of effort. Sasuke dipped his fingers in the raw honey, rubbing it gently into his wounds. When he got home, he would have to ask Hinata to show him some medical ninjutsu.

He let them sit for a bit, wiping his blood away with the shirt he had stolen. Soon enough the easy part was done. Now for the hard part. He tied the bloody shirt around his mouth after removing the thread, gagging himself to hide any screams of pain. He didn't want to reveal his spot to any sand ninja on the hunt for him.

Lifting the needle and sending it through his skin, he was glad he had a gag. He surely would have summoned the attention of every ninja in a fifty-mile radius if not. Sasuke could feel his eyes watering, but he blinked the tears away. It was a lot harder to stick it through his own skin than to be stabbed. He groaned quietly as he sent it through once more. He focused on the tomato, and eventually his arm numbed from the pain. He tried to comfort himself with the idea that he would soon get to eat some nice roasted tomato and some meat. The beef would help slow the blood flow, and tomatoes were his favorite. He just had to get through this.

It took maybe two hours, the teen having to stand to move the chicken off as it finished and leave it to the side. He had it laying on his jacket so he didn't get it infested with bugs. Sasuke had never stitched a wound-- he had only ever practiced in class on dummies. It was a lot harder than it seemed when it was his own flesh being jabbed into and torn through.

Because of his lack of experience, his stitches were wild and messy. He had many short but deep cuts along his body, now stitched together with a musty red thread from the earlier shirt. Six, from what he could count. One on each of his shoulders, one on each of his thighs, and a pair running across his stomach. He assumed they were meant to immobilize him-- which it was doing its job. He found it hard to move with these slices.

There were a few scattered across the rest of his body-- those would heal. So would the ones he threatened together if cared for properly. He didn't know about the one on his face, though. Just over his lips, three identical slashes had been cut. They ran from about a centimeter above his lips to a centimeter below it. One about two centimeters in on each side of his mouth and one straight down the middle. They were the hardest to do since he couldn't see his face. Based on the amount of blood loss and the pain he felt as he barely curled his lips away from the food as he ate, though, he had a feeling they were bad.

Sasuke sat at his small camp, barely choking down the food after he redressed when he felt the lean arms of an older ninja grab him. Sasuke spun around, trying his best to break free by kicking the older ninja in the face, and dropping the remainder of his tomato in the process. Another arm grabbed his leg, however, making him practically crumble to the floor with his wounds. The older ninja dropped him, seemingly startled by how easily he crumbled. Sasuke was no fool-- he knew to take the chance.

The young Uchiha darted off in the same area he had been running to previously, abandoning his food and resources. If he could just push a little more-- if he could just go a bit further-- all he had to do was make it to rain village territory and the gatekeepers would let him in. He couldn't be that far, right?

Unfortunately for him, this wasn't the case. The forest only went on. There was no sign of his village, and the unfamiliar ninja grabbed onto his sides before he could run too far. Sasuke groaned with pain, body reflexively twisting in the painful hold. His teeth clenched, head lowering as he refused to look at this stranger. "Let go of me! I" he barely hissed with his broken lips, assuming this was a sand ninja preparing to drag him back to that hellish torture. He kicked and flailed, his training doing no good against the man.

Sasuke gave a shuttered breath as he felt the ninja press him to the ground. The man's voice seemed almost bored as he spoke. "You don't look like the description. I had heard the ones to kill Lord Hokage were both elderly looking." twisting Sasuke's arm down in a way that wouldn't hurt him unless he struggled. The ninja hummed out a sigh, "I don't think someone so young could kill him anyway. Come, it's dangerous out here. Who knows if they're still here." acting as though he hadn't seen the terrible markings across Sasuke's face.

Twisting his head to look at the ninja, Sasuke was met with a single bored-looking black eye. The rest of his face was covered by a mask and headband. The hidden leaf headband. A slight pain welled in his chest. His old home. It would be a lie if he said he didn't think about returning to the village someday, but he didn't want to return as a prisoner with this silver-haired man. Instead, he focused on what he had said. An elderly couple? It had to be Hidan and Kakuzu! If Tobi was in charge of the sand village, they must have gone after the leaf. Maybe they were near?

Sasuke's pushed against the man, yelling at the top of his lungs and with as much volume as his torn lips would allow. "Kakuzu!" he shouted, knowing the elder man didn't mind being associated with crime. He prided himself. "It's me! I need your help-" his words falling short as the elder ninja pushed something against his neck. Sasuke grimaced, all his pride and pain tolerance gone after stitching himself. He felt the dark taking over-- was this how he was going to die?


	20. You'll Be Okay

Sasuke grimaced as he woke up the next morning. A cool breeze was washing over him, but it wasn't the familiar blistering wind he was used to. It was in short, even strokes, which felt pretty good. He cracked open of his eyes open to see a blur of white. After a moment, he focused enough to realize he was in a hospital room.

The soft blowing had been coming from a fan. A fan being held by a medical assistant, from the looks of it. He squirmed a bit as he noticed he was tied to the bed with his hands held apart to prevent any jutsu. He groaned, trying to protest, but no words coming out. The assistant had stood up, looking started by his waking. "You're awake! Calm down, we aren't going to hurt you. You were found badly wounded in the forest by one of our Jonin. He had to knock you out to prevent you from hurting yourself. You're just tied up so you didn't panic and go on a rampage. He said you were in hysterics." a cool wrist pressing to his forehead.

"You seem to have eaten something bad. It's upset your stomach, plus the wounds you sustained has you in bad shape. Here, let me loosen these. You need to eat something easy on your stomach." loosening the ropes as she sat him up into a sitting position. She didn't untie his hands as she shoveled some oatmeal into his mouth. "You're lucky the leaf found you. There are a lot of dangerous ninja on the loose in the area between the sand and the leaf. Both our kages have just been killed by some monsters, you know?" a sad look crossing her face. "If you had run into them they might have killed you on a whim. Is that what happened? Were you attacked by them? You seem like a strong ninja despite your age. If so, I'm impressed you escaped." she smiled.

Sasuke scowled as he was forced to eat the oatmeal. Those 'dangerous monsters' were his family. They would never do this to him. He couldn't say that, though. "I don't know. I was just heading home when I was attacked out of nowhere." he lied easily. "I didn't get a look at who it was that attacked me. They were fast."

He noticed a brief look of skepticism on her face, but she quickly hid it. "Oh, I see! Where are you from? We can send your village a message." she offered.

"I don't live in a village. I live alone in the forest between Suna and Konoha. There is no one to call. I can head home myself." he lied once more, not wanting to lead them anywhere towards his actual village.

She nodded, standing up as she finished feeding him the bowl. "Alright. Well, you get some rest, and we'll let you head out. You should wait until you're rested though. We've healed your stab wounds and the rest of your wounds. The only one we couldn't do anything for was your lips. They're too infected right now. We'll heal them in a few days."

He nodded, watching as she headed for the door with an unsettled feeling in his stomach. Soon she left, and he was alone, though unable to sleep very well as she had told him to. How could he in such a strange area?

When Sasuke woke up, it was to the sound of an approaching ninja. His eyes snapped open, his muscles tensing on reflex as a tall silver-haired man came into view. The man seemed to be paying him little attention until he arrived at the bed. It was only then he snapped shut the book he was reading and sent Sasuke a smile. Sasuke knew it was fake-- he had seen enough of them to know. This man was trying to warm him up. This only made the young Uchiha all the more nervous.

"Hello, I'm the Jonin who has been put in charge of your housing until you recover fully. The village has decided that it would be best for you to stay with an experienced ninja, just in case the ones who attacked you come back." and because they didn't trust the conveniently injured teen, found just after the assassination of two kages. Not that he said that, but it was clear. "So, why don't you tell me a bit about yourself. It doesn't look like you'll be healing anytime soon. Name? Likes and dislikes?"

Sasuke sat up in his bed, crossing his arms a bit with a glare at the older ninja. He must have got the message as he carried on easily, "Alright, well, I'm Kakashi Hatake. I like a lot of things. I don't particularly dislike much. There now, it's your turn."

Kakashi Hatake? Hadn't Itachi mentioned that name before? Sasuke paled a bit. That was right-- this was his brother's former ANBU captain. Which meant he would easily be able to identify him if he wasn't careful. Sasuke kept his arms crossed, looking away as he answered. "I'm Tasukeru. Most people call me Tasu. I like it when other people aren't annoying. I don't like it when other people are annoying."

Seemingly not thrown off by his sour response, Kakashi nodded and motioned the boy up. "Alright. Let's head out then. Once we make it to my house we can get you untied. Your arms are all torn up with rope burn." though not from the ones the leaf had put on him, Kakashi noted.

Sasuke bitterly followed after him, keeping his eyes lowered. He hated looking as though he was shy or nervous, but he also knew the rage at being reduced to a glorified prisoner of his old village would spark his Sharingan. He didn't need them automatically flashing on because he was feeling a bit off. That would blow his entire cover. He needed to lay low-- at least until he figured out how to get out of the village and towards home.

TKTKTKKTKTKTKTKTKKTKTKTKTKKTKTKTK

Around this time, Itachi and Kisame had finished sneaking into the sand village. It was a lot harder than normal-- the kage had just been assassinated-- but Itachi had insisted on not killing off any of the troublesome guards. Sometimes Kisame wondered why he loved his pain in the ass of a boyfriend.

They heard whispers of the kage's death, but nothing on any captured prisoners. So that could mean two things. Either the council of Suna had it under wraps and was keeping it a secret from the villagers, or Sasuke had escaped. Itachi hoped for the escape option, but it didn't seem likely. There was a lot of sand ninja who claimed to of been knocked out. Sasuke would have been far outnumbered.

As such, they would have to go undercover. They needed to get access to the main building, but no matter how much they provided at it, there was just no opening. Itachi didn't want to hurt the guards, but he also was going crazy with worry over where his little brother could be locked up.

Kisame wasn't fairing much better. He had come to see the young Uchiha like a younger brother himself-- how could he not, watching the little squirt grow from angry babbling to confident trash-talking? The only difference was that Kisame knew Sasuke was a strong ninja. Itachi did too, of course, but his overprotectiveness clouded his reasoning.

As it was, oddly enough, Kisame became the voice of reason on this mission. "Itachi, I'm sure he's fine. We'll find an opening, the squirt is tougher than you give him credit for." though he had a bad feeling in his stomach as they peered around the corner at a pair of diplomates discussing business in their private yard.

Itachi glared at his partner. "You don't know that. He doesn't have the necessary skills to survive that many people. He could have been killed on the spot for all be know-" his words were cut off as Kisame covered his mouth. Itachi's Sharingan flashed in warning, only stopping as Kisame motioned to the two men speaking to listen in.

"Yes, did you hear? The little runt they found at the scene of the Kage's murder got away. Temari-Sama and Kankuro-Sama haven't released his name yet, but I hear rumors that they're pissed at the kid. I doubt he'll get far." one mused to the other, who nodded.

"Yes, yes. I hear the kid was foolish enough to leave his chakra prints going north of the village. It looked like he was headed straight for Earth County Territory. Doesn't the kid know we have a treaty with them? They'll hand him over the moment they hear about the huge reward Suna is putting up."

The men seemed pleased with their conversation, so pleased they never even noticed the increasing look of anger on Kisame's face, nor the cold stoic one on Itachi's. The two slipped out easily-- they didn't have time to deal with idiotic gossiping politicians. They needed to head north, after Sasuke.


	21. Silence Is Always An Option

Sasuke sat in the Hatake household on a barstool in the kitchen. The silver-haired man had cut him loose from his bindings and was now preparing them both some lunch. Sasuke was rubbing at his poor arms, rope burns not completely healed. After all, he was still a possible threat in the village's eyes. They couldn't be healing him fully while their Kage had just been shot down.

Kakashi handed him over a bowl of miso soup, freshly prepared. The leaf ninja smiled at him, "There you go."

Sasuke took it, nearly gagging at how fake the other's actions were. Tch, and to think, sensei thought he was bad at expressing himself. Ignoring this, Sasuke moved to drink the soup. He didn't particularly like miso, but it was better than an empty stomach. He drank it in one fell swoop, just as he had for years.

Bits and pieces of the soup littered his mouth as he took it down, wiping it on his sleeve as he felt a bit dribble against his cheek. Growing up in a house full of loud and excitable men didn't give Sasuke the best mannerisms to look up to. Itachi, Konan, and Sasori could only teach him so much in terms of manners.

Sasuke noticed Kakashi giving him a mildly amused look, so the teen sent him a glare. Kakashi mused, "You're quite messy, aren't you?" he hummed in his fake-sweet attitude.

The ravenette only crossed his arms, shooting back, "You're quite judgemental, aren't you?"

A hearty laugh pulled him from his confident pose. Why was this other man laughing? Cocky bastard. "Oh, cut the crap. I'm not here to discuss table manners." Sasuke scowled, standing from his chair to send a fierce glare into Kakashi's now bored eyes. "What do I need to do to be let go of? Or rather, how much longer will this investigation take place? I have better places to be."

Kakashi's pretend face of shits and giggles had faulted, and the silver-haired man was only eyeing Sasuke with a none caring look now. "You lied to the nurses. You don't live on your own, and you are in some way connected to this assassination. You won't be released until we figure out if you're relation is a mere victim, or something more."

Sasuke had to admit, the man's bluntness was a bit startling. He kept his calm, however-- his homeroom sensei had taught him better than to be too free with his wording near enemies. "I'm not sure I know what you're talking about, Kakashi-kun." his words echoing with arrogance despite his gut screaming at him to shut the hell up.

TKTKTKTKTKKTKTKTKTKTKTK

Kakashi's eyes narrowed at the boy's tone. Such a saucy boy he seemed to be. His eyes quickly returned into their infuriatingly happy selves, the man straightening up. "If you say so, kiddo." the man not missing a beat as he headed out of the kitchen and into the living room, not bothering to guard Sasuke nearly as harshly as he had promised the ANBU he would.

After all, why would he bother doing so to his dear subordinate's little brother?

Kakashi had held his suspicions that he was Itachi's younger brother back in the woods when he had seen the way the boy moved. It was that same slick and precise strategy that set him off first-- the boy using moves he knew for a fact the Uchiha had prided. Then, seeing him in the hospital bed, his pale skin and dark black eyes, he fit the profile.

The thing that had set it off, however, was that damn attitude. His stoicism matched Itachi perfectly, with a dash of that firey Uchiha spirit sprinkled in. It would be amusing, that he thought he could get away with it, if not for the time in which he had come.

Kakashi hated to think about it, but while he did love his Itachi as a younger comrade, the boy had committed genocide. Even if it seemed impossible, thinking of the sweet little ANBU boy he had taken under his wing, it was undoubtedly. Sasuke had been found soaking in the blood of his clan, in hysterics over the fact his beloved brother would do such a thing.

He hated linking people to their families and giving them titles-- he did-- but he had to admit that Sasuke was a huge suspect for the assassination. Even if he did seem to be nothing more than an overly skilled teen, so had Itachi. No one would have thought the young Uchiha heir would have ended ninja thirty years his seniors, yet he had. He couldn't make the same mistake and underestimate Sasuke, though that didn't mean he would need to be too decisive about it. He wouldn't be needlessly cruel to the boy, but he wouldn't lower his guard. He had to keep an eye out, even if he couldn't help but feel sad as he thought of his old comrade.

TKTKTKKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

As Kakashi left, Sasuke straightened up a bit. He didn't seem to be watching him very closely, so perhaps this would be a good chance to escape.

No, he quickly changed his mind, he needed to build the man's trust first. That's what would be best. If he tried to flee now, he would have leaf ninja on him from all angles. If he took it slowly, however, he could let himself heal and be on the move when the man trusted him more. Sasuke never did like playing on other people's emotions, but it was necessary at times, he supposed.

The teen stood, leaving the bowl in the sink, and made his way around the house. It would be good to know the enemy territory since he was stuck in it for a bit.

He moved into all the rooms, peaking around. Nothing looked too strange-- the basic house, he supposed. It was small compared to his own, but then, he did live in the Akatsuki base. This house only had two rooms, one bathroom, a living room, a kitchen, a dining room, and a training room. It didn't look like Kakashi had a front or back yard worth checking out.

There wasn't much decoration, but it was somewhat clean at least. The only room that seemed to have any personality was the one in which he assumed Kakashi slept. It had an old ANBU mask on the wall and some framed photos of an older ninja on the wall. He had grey hair, so Sasuke assumed he and Kakashi were related. It wasn't like natural grey hair was all that common.

It was the photo on the end table that caught his attention, though. A young Kakashi was standing next to a young Uchiha boy and a rather bland looking girl. He said Uchiha, but that was only an assumption based on his uniquely dark eyes. The only thing making him doubt himself was that smile. Uchiha never smiled that wide, not once they aged past the age of ten or so.

The Uchiha boy wasn't what had caught his eye, however. It was the man standing over them. He had bright blonde hair, with the same shape as Narutos. He tilted his head a bit with a scrunch of his face. Looking into the man's similar blue eyes, Sasuke almost scoffed. No way that loser was even on the Fourth Hokage's radar, let alone related to him.

Sasuke noticed a few other photos ranging around the room but didn't have time to check them out as he heard Kakashi's footsteps. Well practiced in escaping a room without notice, thanks to his constant curiosity about what Neji was doing, he slipped out of the room and quietly moved the other way. Tch, figured he'd get stuck with one of the only people in the village who was at risk of recognizing him.


	22. Honesty Can Be A Virtue Or A Curse

It didn't take long for Itachi and Kisame to realize that they needed to have more people on the job. The tracks were fake, the villages were all on high alert as two of the Kages were assassinated, and now apparently Itachi's sickness was choosing to peaken as he put so much extra strain on it. Kisame held his unwilling partner up by one of his arms as the Uchiha violently coughed up blood. "Itachi, we need to take a break. If we run while rested, we'll go twice as fast than if we ran while winded and ill."

It was a cold day in hell when Kisame became the voice of reason for the duo. "I told you, I'm fine," he growled, yanking his arm away, very uncharacteristically. "We can't just stop to sip tea while Sasuke's out there, possibly dead or dying. We know he's hurt, given he was interrogated by the sand. He's skilled for his age, but if he finds himself lost and hurt, there is no village in their right mind who would offer help instead of attack. Everyone has heard about the 'surprisingly young ninja' who attacked Suna.

Despite his words, luckily, Kisame was able to get Itachi to sit down beside him on a log after a moment of refusal. "Listen, if we're going off what we heard, no one's mentioned finding the kid. So it's pretty obvious, either he hasn't been found, or the village that found him has something to hide from the others. Something they're worried that the kid could squeal about." the shark ninja trying to think over what on earth it could be.

He didn't have to think too hard however, his attention pulled to Itachi as he saw the younger ninja's pupil's dilation. Kisame got a cold chill-- he had never seen Itachi act like this. Silence filled the air, despite Kisame being sure that Itachi knew exactly what was going on.

After a long moment of internal doubt, Itachi's voice came, quiet and unsure. Nothing like Kisame had ever heard before. "Kisame, you love me, right?"

Kisame sent him a look of bafflement, his blue skin tinting to purple at the question. What the hell did this have to do with Sasuke be captured? "What kind of idiotic question is that?" he growled.

Itachi only sent him an icy glare as he heard him, so Kisame swallowed down his confusion. "Yes. I do," he growled, never having openly said it much despite their closeness.

Kisame's world seemed to freeze as he heard Itachi speak. "I've been lying to you."

The mist ninja felt his muscles tensing up, faint veins appearing in his eyes. He tried to keep his temper under check, something he had been forced to learn while living in the same house as so many children. "About what?" he seethed, having to resist grabbing his sword out of mere instinct.

Itachi's Sharingan blazed, though, it was more out of instinctual activation than him preparing for battle. The raven-haired man had to admit-- he hadn't been expecting Kisame to hear him out. He had expected to have to pull him into an illusion and kill him. A strange knot of guilt welled up in his stomach, "I didn't only kill my clan to gain power or because they threatened Sasuke." he admitted, "I was ordered to. By the leaf village." his eyes barely held contact with Kisame's, his shame overwhelming.

He knew he could take the shark ninja, even in his weakened state. That didn't mean he wanted to. "Then I left, to join the Akatsuki. As a double agent. I lied to you." the Uchiha hissed, hating himself with each word he spoke. Maybe if he hadn't obeyed, Sasuke would be safe. Maybe if he hadn't obeyed, they could have run away. Maybe, if he hadn't obeyed, he would have never met Kisame to lie to and betray.

"So, it's all been a lie then," Kisame concluded, staring him down coldly. Itachi didn't like it. Kisame was supposed to be the overly aggressive one. He was supposed to attack Itachi before he could explain. He wasn't supposed to be this understanding. "The missions. The healing. The conversations. Us. It was all a lie. All to get more information." Kisame laughed, catching Itachi off guard. "No, it wasn't. You aren't like that, Itachi. You value your comrades. You value the support. You value us." he repeated as if trying to convince himself.

A curt nod caught him off guard, however. "I do."

Kisame looked over at him, once more bewildered through his anger. "What do you mean, you do?"

"I do. I value you very much. I value the Akatsuki very much. Even more so than the village. That's why..." he closed his eyes briefly, "That's why I've been feeding the village false information. It's why I've been saying that there hasn't been much movement within the organization. Because I value you all. I know you all. I know that you're mostly good people. It's why I believe that you guys can change. There is no need for you all to be killed. I never kill without purpose."

TKTKTKTKTKTKKTKTKTKTKTK

Kakashi had to admit, it was amusing to watch the young Uchiha. The way he thought he was being sneaky, it was almost like watching a cat or small child. Given, Sasuke was very talented for his age, but he was no match for a well-trained ninja such as himself.

He watched as each morning, Sasuke would wake up early on purpose. Or, perhaps the elder ninja just slept in. He couldn't be sure. Sasuke had snooped the place out pretty good on the first day. Not that Kakashi really had anything to hide. His Icha Icha books were lined up by his couch, so the only thing that could possibly be considered hide-worthy was out in the open. Sasuke hadn't paid them much attention since they were so out in the open.

Sasuke had stopped his search as soon as he noticed Kakashi. The silver-haired man noticed the way Sasuke would eat anything. He noticed the way Sasuke would force down sweet foods he was given the first few days, despite clearly hating them. If Kakashi had to guess, he didn't trust his surroundings so he was eating as much as he was given.

It was about three days in when Kakashi finally got some meaningful conversations with the kid. Up to that point, it was mostly just grunts and growls for responses. It was when he was reading his books on the couch, having just got back from a day of gate duty. Sasuke had sat on the other side of the couch, glaring him down.

Kakashi gave a heavy sigh. "Yes?" glancing up from his book only momentarily to seem uninterested.

"Take me out into the village."

Alright, well, whatever he was expecting, it wasn't that. Kakashi only rose his single visible brow, "Now, why would I do that. I know you know that you're here as a suspect. Why would I go through the trouble to take you out into the village?" he hummed.

"Because you know I was involved." the boy spoke confidently. Kakashi could only blink. This boy was quite the firecracker, wasn't he? "I can tell you're watching me, and I can tell you don't feel hostile or defensive against me, even if you're trying to force yourself to. Your core chakra doesn't lie. Not to mention, it's clear you've figured out that I'm the boy that ran away from Suna. The one caught by the guards there. I'm sure it would be one of the first bits of information they gave to Konoha. You're all just trying to figure out what to do with me. So, it's doubtless that I'm involved."

He snapped his book close, "So, this makes you think I'll let you into the village? Personal feelings aside, it would be a foolish move. Especially now that you've admitted to being involved." he noted.

"Actually, it would be quite smart of your village." Sasuke corrected. "Surely, if I am guilty, I'll have backup. If that backup hears that I'm here, it'll draw that person's attention and have them return. They'd undoubtedly be looking across the nations to see where I ran off to. It would lead you straight to the ones in charge."

Kakashi's lips tightened into a tight frown. Well, that could work both ways. It would draw the ones who killed the Hokage's attention, yes, but would the village be in any shape to take them? They all wanted the man responsible taken down, yes, but at what cost? This wasn't for him to decide-- this was a council matter.


	23. Hurry, Hurry

Sasuke waited by the front door, mildly annoyed. He tapped his foot a bit, impatient as the copy ninja slowly made his way towards the door. "What's taking so long, Kakashi?" the boy scolded.

"We aren't in a rush. Besides, this isn't a tourism event. We're only bringing you into the village to get the attention of your organization. I don't know what you're expecting." the older ninja sighed, reading one of his books as he headed out.

A light glare was his answer. "I want to get out there and draw their attention. That's what I'm expecting." he scoffed. The teen glanced around as Kakashi lead him through the streets of the village. He had his arms bound with chakra cuffs so he couldn't use any jutsu, but he didn't really need to either. He knew that if he did his part and sounded the alarm, his family would come for him.

"..." Kakashi was silent for a moment before commenting, "Since you've already openly admitted to being involved with the organization, I'm assuming you're part of it. I hope you know what you're doing by parading in the streets. We have back-up from the sand village on the outer gates. Your allies will fall, and you're leading them straight to their death. Even if you all do escape, wouldn't they kill you for such betrayal?" he hummed, trying to get a read on the motives.

Sasuke gave a look of offense, which quickly shifted into anger. "For one, they would never be taken down by a pair of kageless villages. For two, they wouldn't kill me! They're my family. Family sticks together through painful times. This will only make our bond grow. The pain of this fight will only strengthen our love for each other."

An unimpressed look remained on Kakashi's face, though inside he found the boy's logic to be quite strange. He supposed it made sense-- pain did bring people together. But then, it was unusual to use this as a comforting thought when you were in pain. Most people would avoid it at all costs. "You said yesterday that you figured out that we knew who you were. How is that?"

"Well, I was captured by the sand less than a week ago. They realized that I was one of the missing children rather quickly. Since their Kage has been assassinated, they'll want to share all the information on the boy they had in custody." Sasuke explained easily, "Then, well, there were only four children who went missing from this village. Me, Neji, Hinata, and Naruto. Well, Gaara was visiting but I don't think he counts since this isn't his homeland. I clearly don't have blond nor red hair, so I'm not Naruto or Gaara. I don't have the Byakugan either, so I'm clearly not either of them." he smirked proudly, "I'm Sasuke Uchiha. Anyone who can't see that would have to be blind."

"Hm, yes. I am aware of the other missing children. I suppose they were kidnapped by this organization as well. It seems that they've manipulated you all into seeing them as a family so you wouldn't run away." he sighed at the glare the boy gave him. "I know it's hard to break free of emotional manipulation. It's like a neverending genjutsu that's been forever intertwined with your reality. I only hope the other children haven't given up on escape yet."

"You're wrong," Sasuke spoke with confidence. "It isn't emotional manipulation. The organization took us in while this village neglected us." he felt his chest rising with anger at the older man, the two standing beside a lake of some sort now. Somewhere along the way, they had left the village and went to the training grounds. "The village laughed at Naruto. They laughed at my brother for something he had no control over. Naruto did nothing wrong. He and Gaara both! Neither of them wanted to be the vessels for demons. But you all gave them no choice!" he accused, voice rising. Kakashi allowed him since there was no one around to hear anyway.

"Not to mention Hinata. My poor little sister was subjected daily to harsh training and bullying. She tried so hard, only to be met with the threat of being disowned by the ones who were supposed to take care of her. Nothing was ever good enough for them, but once did the village try to help." by now, his eyes had started to water with frustration. "Not to mention Neji. He- He was an amazing ninja. He protected his clan. He did as he was told even when they repetitively hurt him. They used his own body against him. But not once did the village step in to help him! Why? Because it was a 'clan affair'."

Sasuke spat the last two words with venom, his hatred boiling over. "But suddenly, when it comes to my clan, it's a talk for everyone and anyone. Oh, look! The Uchiha are almost all gone. Oh, I never trusted that clan. Oh, that clan's full of psychos. Oh, there goes Sasuke. He has good scores, but so did Itachi. It's only a matter of time until he loses it. It's only a matter of time before he betrays us. It's only a matter of time until he follows his kin!" he mocked. "No one in this village ever gave me a chance to show who I was. Who Sasuke Uchiha was. They never gave any of us a chance."

"It's all labels here. The Last Uchiha. The Ninetail's Vessel. The One Tail's Vessel. The Hyuuga Heir. The Hyuuga Branch Member. Do you know who we are back in our real home? Sasuke. Naruto. Gaara. Hinata. Neji. That's who we are. Do you know the only labels put on us back home? Little one. Pumpkin. Darling. Sugar cube. Muffin. Do those sound like labels they would put on us if we were being used? Would they spend hours every week comforting us when we have nightmares about things that happened under the watch of your village? Would they train with us? Teach us how to cook, sew, clean, and take care of ourselves? Would they tell us to explore our options before choosing to be a ninja? No! So don't act like you know my family. They aren't the ones hurting us, you all are."

He heaved, his shoulders shaking now as he tried to calm himself. "My father saids pain helps you grow. This village's pain didn't. It just leaves me with an empty feeling of hurt every time I think of it. You say we're being manipulated, but it can't be worse than how this village manipulates its villagers into thinking it's okay to be so cold towards each other."

Kakashi let the kid rant his heart out, half because he was interested if he would spill any intel and half because he was too shocked to shut him up. His lips folded into a frown as he sighed, sitting on the grass. "So, this group truly does care for you all?" he questioned.

Sasuke scoffed, "Of course."

"I'm glad to hear that." the silver-haired ninja spoke with a strange affection to the boy.

Sasuke gave him a look as though he had just grown a second head.

"What is it?" Kakashi asked. "Come, there's no reason to be wary. Though the village has a price on your family's head, I'm still glad to hear that Naruto and you are happy. I've never met the other children, but good on them too. The fact that you all seem to have each other's backs is more than enough reason for me to respect you all. Only true scum would betray their comrades. That includes those you see as family. I may not agree with you, but I can respect your loyalty."

Sasuke paused, a slight smile crossing his lips, but it quickly fell as he heard a voice from behind him. "While that is all good and well, your respect won't save the organization nor the boy."

Kakashi glanced over his shoulder, mildly surprised by who it was. What was Danzo doing here? What did he mean, save the boy?

"Word has spread rather fast of your location, Sasuke." a few ROOT officers came down from the surrounding trees. "You have served your purpose. I thank you for your service to the leaf, but you have used up your worth. Come with me."

TKTKTKTKTKKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

It took maybe a day for Itachi and Kisame to return to the hideout. Once they did, it was all hands on deck. Itachi moved quickly to the third floor of their base. He headed into the room where Nagato currently sat with Konan, they two stopping whatever they were talking about as they noticed his return. "Konan. Nagato. We've located Sasuke. He's being kept in Konoha, under the control of a Jonin."

Nagato nodded, a frown falling onto his face as he prepared his six paths right away. "I see. Is there any more intel you can give us before we head out? We should do so right away."

Itachi nodded. He looks enraged, but in a quiet way. The way that let you know you were truly screwed. "He's set to be executed. The village elders decided on it not long ago. We have about a day's time before he's killed. Unless they find a new Hokage who decides against it between now and tomorrow, he'll be dead."

"I see. What else is there? I can tell you're holding back, Itachi." After all, Nagato had lived with the boy for years now.

"Yes." he took a breath. "The how and why is a long story that I'll tell you all later. Our first priority needs to be Sasuke, but I'm giving this information to you so they don't catch you off guard." he bowed low, into one he hadn't done in years. His head touched the floor, hoping Nagato would agree to focus on his brother's safety for now. "I've been a double agent for the last few years, keeping a tab on the Akatsuki for the leaf village. I was ordered to kill my clan. I'll stop sending my reports to the leaf and take whatever punishment you give, whether it be death or worse. I only ask that you save Sasuke. He's known nothing of this. Neither have any of the other children. They're innocent."

Konan and Nagato's faces contorted into a brief look of shock and pain. Itachi had been lying to them this entire time? Nagato frowned deeply, "We'll focus on Sasuke for now, but you will answer for your actions when he is home and safe. For now, you will stay here to make sure Tobi doesn't escape. He's been locked downstairs until we figure out what to do with him. If he or you escape, we will come looking and kill you both."

Itachi nodded, moving to stand as Nagato's paths and Konan headed downstairs. He came down just in time to see Kisame arguing with the kids.

"We're going."

Kisame gave a heavy sigh, "No, you aren't. You all are too young to be rushing into the village on a rescue mission." he scolded, "Now, listen to me. You all will not step foot out of the village until we return."

Neji's glare only strengthened, Naruto and Gaara's working along with him. Hinata and Karin nodded from behind, the two giving the shark a stern look. Karin pointed at him defensively, "He's our brother. We're going to the village, with or without your permission. We'll just leave right after you if you don't take us with you." she spoke proudly.

"We don't have time to fucking argue." Hidan sighed with annoyance. "If the little shits want to come, bring them along. It'll be a pain in the ass, but they clearly aren't staying. Come on, then. We won't save him standing here."


	24. Burning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Shitty torture scene so. Gore warning.

Sasuke sat tied to a chair in the questioning chamber of the leaf. He had his head lowered, hands clenched into fists. Only a week ago, he sat in Suna's chair for interrogation, prideful and snarky. Now, having been through interrogation once already, he knew it was a lot harder than you'd think at first. Unlike last time, however, he was blindfolded.

Well, they did know he was an Uchiha now, after all. He quickly decided that he hated being blindfolded. It was one thing for a normal person to be blindfolded, but for an Uchiha, it was ten times worse. After all, they were normally gifted with amazing vision even without their Sharingan.

He heard some footsteps coming from down the halls and paused. He clenched his eyes together, preparing himself. They said that the word had already spread. He just had to endure the next few hours. His family would come for him. They had to.

"So, this is the boy then. You sure he's Fugaku's son? He's shaking like a leaf." the voice that entered the room was deep, disappointed almost. It definitely wasn't Danzo. "I never did particularly like Fugaku, though. Always so bossy. Ah, well. A criminal is a criminal, I suppose. Famous father or not." the man spoke close to Sasuke's ear like he was hovering over him. He could feel how much larger the older man was, even without his vision.

Sasuke lightly bit the inside of his lip as he felt the man back away, but a snapping noise sound only a few seconds later from across the room. He felt fear well up inside him, not knowing what it was nor the direction the attack would be coming from. For now, all he could do was bite his lip as holding out until his allies came.

"We should be able to check his mind now. It might not even take any interrogation. He looks like his walls are pretty easy to break anyway. The effects of Suna's interrogation are probably still weighing on his mind so we could finish this fast." the voice didn't sound familiar, either. It was coming from the doorway.

"The Uchiha would lead you to believe that. They are manipulative that way. We should break down a few barriers first so you need not wast too much chakra."

There the bastard was. Danzo. He was only a few feet away from Sasuke, he could tell.

The voice that had been hovering over him spoke easily. "I agree with Danzo. The fact that he's showing so much fear." Sasuke felt something snap against his side on the chair, the boy letting out a strangled gasp. He had been so invested in the conversation that he hadn't even thought about the snap from earlier. "Shows that he isn't broken yet. It's far to difficult to get information to someone who hasn't given in completely yet."

There was a deep ache on the side where he had been struck, but with what, he had no idea. It was something flat but thin. Small, but long. It left a burning sensation on his skin, which made him feel increasingly uncomfortable as only a few seconds passed before another strike landed on his opposite hip. He let out an undignified squeak, more so because he had no way to brace himself when the pain was able to come from any direction at any time.

He felt a few more land on his back and along his stomach in rapid-fire, the boy hissing in pain and trying his best to tug the bindings. The more he tugged, however, the worse off his already rope burned skin became. He could hear a light chuckle coming from Danzo, "Perhaps a tank top and shorts weren't the best choices for today, boy?"

Sasuke sent a glare in his direction, even though he knew the other couldn't see it. He startled when he felt a pair of large hands smooth over one of the strikes between his shoulder blades. The hands were large and warm, soothing over the dull ache. Sasuke had trouble deciding if he liked it or not. On one hand, it was preferred over the strikes, but on the other, it felt wrong to indulge in the soothing. Was it over? He doubted it, but his mind pleaded for it to be.

Slowly, he felt the heat increasing to an uncomfortable level. He pulled forward, away from the hand as best he could as he realized what the warm hand had transformed into. Was that fire-!?

The teen hissed, finally breaking from his mere grunts and grimaces as he felt it not spreading, but remaining in the single area. "Stop it-! Stop!" finally crying out in pain as he felt it only getting closer. Tears were threatening to fall from his eyes now, the burning increasing more and more each second. "Stop!" he cried out, momentarily startled but relieved when he felt it go away. He shook and trembled, clenching his fist. He had listened-- why?

He felt a hand smoothing over his hair, and pulled back in distrust. "You want me to stop? Then how about you tell us some information about your organization. If you can do that, this'll all stop. No more burning, no more strikes. We'll kill you quickly if you tell us." the flame being hovered close enough to his wrist that he knew it was still there, but not near enough to burn.

Sasuke felt his chest rise in pain and sadness. He couldn't risk the entire village, but he didn't want to feel any more pain. He bitterly shook his head back and forth, earning him a 'tsk' from the other man. The flame returned to his body, this time at his ankles. Sasuke hissed, crying out as they fire burned against his ankles. Without meaning to, he cried, "Dad!" the pain not stopping this time, only flipping over to his other ankle. He could feel himself falling into panic mode, his already injured boy on high alert. He hicked up in an almost automatic way, his shoulder heaving as he did so, "Dad...dad...dad..."

His pride had fallen, he knew it had, but he didn't really care at the moment. All he knew was that he wanted his dad. He wanted Nagato. Where was he? He was coming for him, right?

"That's enough." came a stern voice from across the room. It was the one who had suggested that they try checking his mind without interrogating him first. Who it was specifically, Sasuke had no idea. He heard him nearing, however, and did his best to restrain the ugly sobs escaping his lips. "We should probe his mind now. He looks pretty open to me."

The one hilding the flame to his ankles backed it up, grunting, "You're going soft. Just because you have a daughter doesn't mean you have to take pity every time someone starts crying for their parents. Do your damn job."

"I'm not going soft, nor is that the reason why. I'd say to stop whether I had a child or not. Teenager's brains aren't as developed, so they're normally easy to break. There's no need for extreme pain." the man resting a hand on Sasuke's head. Quickly, the pain enhanced ten-fold. It was like the was strangling his brain itself.

Sasuke's eyes widened. It was just like Sensei had said-- other villages really did have ninja with the ability to pull information straight from your mind. Sasuke's head snapped upwards as he heard the man speak, "So far I'm seeing a man. The early thirties, blond hair, blue eyes. It seems to be his sensei. I'll draw you out an exact image later." he spoke quietly.

The teen clenched his eyes. So whatever he thought of, the other would see. He tried to focus on something else-- ah, think of something useless to them. Of course-- father. Alright, he thought. Fugaku. Fugaku. He tried his best to think of his birth father. Hair? Brown. Lips? Frown. Outfit? Blue robes-

A deep sigh was followed by the hand being removed from his head. "He's switched his thoughts to focus on useless information. His walls are surprisingly high for someone his age. Proceed, then."

Sasuke's brief prideful smile quickly fell as he felt a hand clench his jaw. He did his best to back away but only succeeded in getting a harsh smack to the side of his face. "Hold, still you little shit." the man pried his lips apart. "I think we need to get rid of an unnecessary part here. We don't need your tongue when we have my partner here to get information, do we?"

His momentary confusion fell into a cold panic as he felt the man take hold of his tongue with two large fingers. Realizing their plan, the teen lost it. His previous sobs and hisses turned into a full-on meltdown, Sasuke now pulling away and barely getting the words out with his tongue constricted. "No, no, no, no!" he screeched, pulling against his bindings.

There was a sharp pain in his tongue before he lost all sort of feeling in his mouth. He felt some sort of liquid falling down his chin. It was only then that he completely lost it.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKKTKTKTKTKKTKTKTKTKTK

Neji split off from the others about ten minutes before they would enter the leaf village. They all went their separate ways, knowing it would be best to go in at different angles. It was most likely they would try to take Sasuke hostage to protect their village, so if they were in multiple groups they could catch them off guard.

He knew that Kisame was working to hold leaf villagers hostage, Deidara was using his art to destroy the Hokage monument (Drawing the attention of the ninja), Hidan and Kakuzu were fighting from the sides, while Pain and Konan attacked from the front. Hinata was with Kisame, the girl looking with her byakugan and Kisame going for physical back up. Naruto and Gaara were coming from behind the village, while Karin hid in a specific tree to heal anyone who came back injured.

He was in charge of looking for Sasuke as well. He could hear distant cries of enemy ninja, attacks coming at him from many sides as he easily dodged and ran. His job was to seek, not fight. His byakugan scanned the area, quickly finding the Uchiha chakra.

Neji ran towards the seemingly small interrogation room-- his brother-- and rival-- was in there.


	25. Family Reunion

Neji entered the building as quickly as he could, reflecting the attacks coming at him from all sides. He easily kicked away and blocked the pressure points of the doctors or aids who tried to attack him, shoving them to the side in preference of Sasuke. He didn't need to be distracted right now.

Even without his byakugan, he would have probably been able to find Sasuke easily. There was a strange gurgling sound coming from downstairs, almost like he was trying to scream but couldn't. Did they have him gagged?

As he burst in through the door, he nearly froze at what he saw. Sasuke was tied to a chair, blood pouring in huge amounts out of his mouth. The man in front of him, large and bulky, was shoving a rag in his mouth as if to slow the bleeding. Sasuke's eyes were covered, but the tears flowing messily down his cheeks as he seemingly choked on the rag showed his panic more than enough. His fingers were flexing out, the younger boy's head immediately focusing on the doorway as he saw him burst in.

It was like Sasuke went into an entirely new mode of panic when he heard the door unlock. He looked like he was trying to scream, but no noise came out besides small gurgles of blood. He turned towards Neji with a pure look of pleading.

Neji wasn't sure he liked seeing his rival beg to him so pitifully. It didn't sit right.

The man with the rag straightened up as he saw Neji, leaving the rag stuffed into Sasuke's mouth. He tossed something onto a table beside him, and Neji felt his heart skip a beat as he realized what it was. It was about a third of Sasuke's tongue. The teen covered his mouth momentarily in disgust, only stopping when he saw the others move in for an attack.

Neji dodged to the side as he realized all three of them were on him. He growled a bit-- tongue wounds were very serious. He couldn't spend time fighting these three, not to mention the fact they were three full-grown ninja and he was only a teen. "Sasuke! It's Neji. We'll get you out of here soon. Just hold on a bit longer!" he commanded.

He moved to the side, hoping to lure the three out of the room. When he only got amused looks, he glared. It was as if they couldn't be bothered. 'Damn it', he mentally cursed, running back upstairs and yelling into the village, "Akatsuki! Over here! Quick! He's seriously injured!" knowing very well he was no match for the three, even with his advanced skills.

Back up came quickly, but with one extra person. While he did see the Akatsuki come running forward, he noticed Kisame carrying a silver-haired ninja. It was clear he was being held as a hostage, as the rest of the village seemed hesitant to attack while he was in Kisame's hold. The strange thing was, the man didn't seem to be fighting to escape at all.

TKTKTKTKTKTKKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKKTK

Kisame rushed in along with Nagato and Konan. They easily got past the opening rooms, commanding Neji, "Go gather everyone else up! If he's truly as hurt as you say, we have to leave with him now."

The boy ran off to do as he was told, Kisame entering the room with Nagato and Konan right behind him. "Give us Sasuke, or the old man gets it!" he barked.

Kakashi gave an unimpressed look as he was held down by the shark-ninja, blade against his throat. Who did he think he was calling an old man?

Ibiki and Inoichi seemed to back down, but Danzo gave no such obedience. It seemed he didn't care if he had to risk the silver-haired man as he came whirling towards them. Luckily, Kisame didn't have to lift a finger. He was dead via Pain's attack before he had the chance to slice Kakashi.

Pain growled as he saw the man move to attack them, ending him with a single attack. After all, it was only one elderly ninja. His eyes were seemingly glowing with rage, "You dare to lay a finger on my son? I'll show you, interrogators, what real pain is!" hand becoming widespread as he attacked.

Konan moved over to Sasuke as Nagato dealt with the other three, quickly moving to untie him. The moment she touched his wrist to begin undoing his bindings, however, he began squirming and pulling away from her in terror. His head whipped the other way around, seemingly trying his best to distance himself from her. Her heart ached as she saw the pure terror responses coming from him, the purple-haired woman gently raising her hands up to remove his blindfold.

Sasuke whipped his head back and forth, seemingly trying his best to shove the woman's hands off him. It was only when it was removed and he realized who it was that he seemed to stop struggling. Instead, a fresh set of tears poured from his eyes. Konan had never seen him so broken down, not in the entirety of knowing him.

She worked to untie his arms and ankles, quickly noticing the terrible burns and welts covering his body. It looked as though he had been burned and beat pretty harshly in the few hours it had taken them to arrive. She pulled him up gently, noticing the way he hissed and pulled away at every touch. She carefully traded off with Kisame, taking the hostage so that the much bulkier man could carry Sasuke.

She quickly picked up the lost extremity she had noticed on the table using her paper, trying not to think about it as she placed it in her pocket. The ones who had been torturing Sasuke were dead, all three of them. The one with the bandages had been searched by one of Nagato's six paths, a disturbing amount of Sharingan found up his arm. One was also in his covered eye. They didn't have anywhere to put them but doubted leaving them was a good idea. As such, they were forced to settle with destroying them all as quickly as they could.

Kisame frowned as they quickly finished, feeling Sasuke clinging onto his shoulder as though he were once more a mere six-year-old. He could see the blood dribbling out of the rag in his mouth as they left, the man taking it from his mouth now that the rag had soaked up as much as it was going to. He leaned the crying teen's head forward, instructing as they ran for the front gates, "Don't swallow. Spit it out." knowing it would be easy for him to drown on his own blood if he swallowed it.

As they arrived, they spotted the rest of the Akatsuki at the front gates. They were still fighting off multiple attacks from raging leaf and sand ninja alike without much trouble. Taking a second glance, however, they noticed specifically four people were missing. Where were Neji, Hinata, Naruto, and Gaara?

TKTKTKTKKTKTKTKTKKTKTKTKTKTKKTKTKTK

Neji had gathered up most of the others without much of a problem. It had only become difficult when he spotted where Hinata was. He supposed Kisame had broken off from his group with her when he had been called. This probably wasn't the best idea, considering Hinata was one of the few people in their family with remaining blood relatives.

He found her standing in a park. The same one the Akatsuki had previously found Naruto, Sasuke, and Gaara playing in. She was standing with her hands up to her chest, pupil's dilated and body shaking. He ran for her, of course. "Hinata! We've got to move. Sasuke's been injured terribly. What are you doing?"

Neji watched as she shakily pointed to across the park. Neji's heart skipped a beat for the second time today.

"Hanabi?"

The little girl, currently eight years old, sat crouched under a table. She looked like she was hiding from the sights of the attackers, much to both the elder Hyuuga's pain. Upon hearing her name, however, she quickly turned around in a fighting pose. The little girl gave a snarl, byakugan activated and glaring in a warning.

Hinata took a step forward, towards her little sister. Nagato had always assured her that Hanabi was fine, but to see it with her own eyes was completely different. This was the baby girl she had left behind? She looked so...angry. Aggressive. Threatening.

Neji rested a hand on Hinata's shoulders, shaking his head back and forth at his cousin. They couldn't do this right now. They had to focus on Sasuke.

Hanabi seemed to be sizing the two up, looking them up and down. These were definitely not her clansmen. It was a pretty good chance they weren't in the main family if they were missing-nin. As such, she decided to try defending herself against unknown Hyuuga the way she had always been taught. She began forming hand seals, and in a mere moment, the boy grabbed his head in pain, low groans escaping him as he cried out. She frowned. So it seemed the girl wasn't part of the branch family then-- she didn't have the caged bird seal. "Back off, or I'll leave it on and kill him!" she threatened.

The young Hyuuga wasn't prepared as the elder spoke with shock, holding onto the crumbling boy. "Stop it, Hanabi! That's enough!" forming seals to undo the activation. It took a moment, but eventually, Hinata overpowered Hanabi's activation. The little girl looked at the elder Hyuuga, dumbfounded. But, how did she know the hand signs to undo it? Only adults and high ranking Hyuuga children were supposed to know how to activate and deactivate it!

Neji had tumbled over in pain after it was activated, the boy grabbing onto his head as he felt a heavy headache take over him. This was Hanabi? This was the sweet little bundle of joy they had left behind? Suddenly, their roles were reversed, and Hinata was the one tugging Neji alone. "Nii-San. You're right. We need to leave and focus on Sasuke. I'm sorry! Just- we have to go." she tugged his groaning form along. This wasn't a very good day, far from it. She headed back to the front gates as she heard Sasori calling in the distance, doing her best to pry herself away from the bewildered Hyuuga heiress.

TKTKTKTKKTKTKTKTKTKTKKTKTKTKTKKTKTKTKTK

Nagato was forced to leave Sasuke in the care of the others as he went to go look for Naruto and Gaara. He left the two Hyuuga teens to Sasori.

Nagato figured it would be best for him to go after Naruto and Gaara, after all, if their tailed beasts were released then he was the only one able to subdue them since Itachi wasn't there. It was pretty easy to find Gaara, the boy standing leaned over in an alleyway, head buried in his hands, but sand surrounding him on high alert. "Gaara! Come here, we need to go!" he called.

The younger boy slowly lifted his head from his hands, taking a deep breath as he leaned on the wall. At first, he didn't reply, worrying Nagato. "Gaara, are you alright?" slowly moving through the sand.

He was surprised as he felt the sand whip towards him, grabbing his six path's boy in a crushing hold. It would hurt if he wasn't a puppet. Gaara didn't seem to make the connection, however, the boy burying his head deeper in his hands as he saw his sand grab Nagato. "Stay away!" he commanded in a scratchy voice.

His father gave a confused look but stopped in his tracks. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

Gaara shook his head, clenching his own hair in his hands. "It's going on its own again. It's hurting people. I'm hurting people. His blood lust is back!" his voice sounding strained as he dropped to his knees. He trembled a bit, "Kurama was seeping through Naruto. He was possessed. Shukaku got excited seeing Naruto's killing and wanted to come out. He's back to trying to make me kill people. I don't want to give in to the bloodlust again."

Nagato took a few careful steps forward, beginning to understand the situation. "No, Gaara. You aren't going to give back in. You can do it. You've done it for years." he tried to soothe his fears. "You said Kurama is possessing Naruto? Do you know where he is?"

Unfortunately, that only seemed to fuel Gaara's pain more. "I tried! I tried to make him stop! I didn't mean to hurt Naruto! Kurama and Shukaku always fight when they're near. I didn't mean to!"

It was only then that Nagato spotted a pretty roughed up Naruto laying a few feet away. He didn't look like he was injured terribly, though. Luckily, it looked like it was only a few scratches and bruises. Naruto's self-healing must have kicked in. "Gaara, it's alright. He's not hurt too much. He's just unconscious. He's still alive." finally getting close enough to lay a hand on his back. "Calm down. Just calm down." he activated his rinnegan, putting the tailed beast's chakra down in hopes of relaxing Gaara easier.

It seemed to work fairly well, the boy's breathing slowly evening out. "He's...not dead? I didn't kill him?" the younger red-head asked. He was pulled up, a comforting hand rested on his shoulder.

"No. He's still alive. He'll be alright. We all will be. We just need to hurry back to the village, or at least a stopping point to heal up." he nodded a bit, one of his other six paths picking up Naruto and resting him on their back.


	26. We've Got You

Kisame frowned as they all rounded up by the gates. The already wounded villages weren't too much trouble to fight off, but it would be trouble if they followed them back to their hideout. He glanced at Nagato, who was now holding on to the silver-haired Jonin.

Nagato nodded in understanding. It would be too much effort to kill them all off-- and waste too much time. They had not only Sasuke to worry about, but a lightly injured Naruto and Neji now too. Not to mention Hinata and Gaara were both off their game now.

He knew it wouldn't stop all the followers, but it would help cut a few of them down to a more manageable size. "We're leaving now, but if anyone tries to follow us, we'll kill him first and then come back for the rest of you," Nagato warned, the attacks not slowing until they left the village. It didn't seem like anyone had followed, but the Akatsuki knew very well this wasn't the case.

They stopped about half an hour away from the village to let Karin try her best to heal up his tongue and to fight against the few who had followed. Nagato stood in front of the children along with a few of the other members, hands raising, "You ignored our gracious warnings, so now you must know true pain." he narrowed his eyes, killing the rather insistent shinobi off.

Kisame turned to the silver-haired man that had been dropped off on the floor when they stopped. He grinned, lifting his shark skin blade in the air, "Too bad for you, they didn't listen." knowing full well shark skin was as hungry as ever for some strong chakra.

He lifted it over his shoulder, ready to strike Kakashi down with a nice messy slice when he felt a hand tug on his Akatsuki coat. He frowned, looking down at Sasuke who still had Karin's hands half shoved in his mouth, the girl laying medical herbs around his stubbed tongue. The boy shook his head back and forth at Kisame, looking tired but pleading.

Kisame frowned, "You don't want me to kill him? Why not? He's with that bastard village." he scowled in confusion. Sasuke only glared lightly, having calmed down but still being completely tired out. The teen shook his head again, tugging on the elder's coat as if restating his opinion.

Karin gave her brother a scolding, turning his head back towards her, "Stop moving, unless you want the pain to continue. It's almost done." she glared lightly, though it was hard with how beaten up he looked.

A deep sigh left Kisame's lips, the man putting his sword away and glaring at the leaf jonin, "Fine. I won't kill him now if you want us to wait off a bit. Just stay still for Karin. She's trying to help you." he spoke gruffly, though the affection in his words were clear. He gave the man a warning look, "You better stay still and quiet, though. Start making a racket and I'll kill you anyway."

The man nodded, leaning back on his elbows in waiting. A few of the Akatsuki members frowned. This man...didn't seem too stressed about the situation? Surely, he couldn't be underestimating them after the raid on the village. Nor was he in line with any of them so why-

Sasori followed the jonin's line of sight and noticed him watching Sasuke. Ah, that must be it. He must have either allied himself with Sasuke. It would make sense as to why the teen would stop Kisame from killing him off right then and there. But then, who was this man and what reason would he have to ally himself with Sasuke. Hinata had a nervous feeling about it, so she decided to activate her byakugan. When she did, she nearly dropped the herbs she had been wrapping Sasuke's burned ankles in.

Kakuzu squatted down beside her, asking, "What do you see, hun?" eyes narrowed and cold as always towards the leaf ninja.

Hinata lightly bit her lip, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "He has a Sharingan, but it isn't completely connected to his chakra network," she explained, a few others glancing over at the man with weary eyes.

Deidara glared at him in particular, hands on his hips as he interrogated, "Why do you have a Sharingan hidden under your headband? Did you steal it?" he asked defensively.

Kakashi seemed to ice over as the felt all eyes on him, including Sasuke's who seemed to bore into him. He opened his mouth, giving the simple response he gave anyone who asked when they noticed. "I didn't steal it. It was given to me by a comrade a long time ago."

Hidan didn't look like he believed it, "Then why's it fuckin' hidden?" after all if it was given to him, why was there a need to hide it.

"So I don't waste chakra, and to avoid situations like this," Kakashi spoke, eyes narrowing. He could tell the people who believed him were very limited.

TKKTKTKKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKKTKTKTKTKTK

They carried on for another half an hour, Sasuke being carried on Kisame's back the entire time. Konan glanced at Karin while they ran, "Were you able to see if there was any way to reattach it?" she asked.

Karin shook her head back and forth, looking guilty. "There is, but it won't be able to heal quickly. I can reattach it, but it'll take a lot of time for him to recover. Even then, his voice will be different since it was completely cut off. It would be different if it was just a little cut, but they completely yanked half his tongue out."

Nagato asked, "How much pain is he in?" a tight frown lining his lips as he spoke.

"He should be more numb than anything. I wrapped his burns up with a herb that should soothe the burning. I haven't had the chance to heal them yet. It looked like he was hit with some sort of chakra-infused strap. I healed it, but the unknown chakra was difficult to work with so it probably still aches a bit. I couldn't risk giving him my blood or it would close up the wound in his mouth. If that happens, he won't be able to get it reattached. But with as much numbing cream as I put in his mouth, he's probably too out of it to notice."

"Well, we should be able to make a stop in one of the smaller villages tonight," Kakuzu noted. "I've done this village a lot of work, so they should be open to letting us all stay in one of the hotels."

Hidan nodded, "Plus, they're weak as hell. So I doubt they'll put up a fight." for once in agreement with his partner as they ran.

They finally stopped at the village in question about ten minutes later. Just as Hidan had said, the villages looked more scared to refuse them than welcoming. Either way, they would serve their purpose, the Akatsuki supposed. As they entered the hotel, it was fairly obvious why Kakuzu was fine with the place.

The owners only gave bows, offering them a room key, and allowing them in. It was fairly easy since they seemed against the idea of harming them. As they entered the room, they found it to be nice and roomy despite the village's poor state. They supposed it was the best room in the hotel since the other rooms with open doors seemed less than passing in comparison.

Sasuke was laid down on one of the two beds. Luckily, both were king-sized. The teen looked tired, but overall like he wasn't in too much pain. It seemed Karin had done her job well when she numbed him. Neji sat himself down on the couch, running his fingers through his hair in hopes of relieving his headache. Then, finally, Naruto was sat down on the bed opposite of Sasuke.

Nagato looked over to his red-haired daughter, "Now that we're stable, can you work on reattaching his tongue?" knowing very well she had needles in her healing pouch she almost always brought with her anywhere.

Karin glanced at Sasuke, then back at Nagato. "I can try, but I don't work well with flesh. The few times I've had to sew it up haven't ended well," she warned him.

The girl felt a hand on her back and glanced back to see Kakuzu nodding a bit. "I'll do it since I'm more experienced with sewing up body parts, but you should watch so you have a better idea of how to do it for future reference," he explained, the girl nodding, grateful she wouldn't need to sew him up. It was a bit nasty, honestly.

Kakuzu lead her over to the bed, where Sasuke was eyeing them nervously. He sat on the right while she sat on the left. "Alright, open up, brat," he spoke with hidden affection. Sasuke looked doubtful but opened his mouth lightly to let him get a look inside.

Karin frowned as she saw the torn up inside of his mouth, as well as when she saw Konan pass Kakuzu the torn off tongue. It was obvious that Sasuke was uncertain. This point was only proved when he brought his hand up to cover his mouth, looking around at the Akatsuki members with a questioning look.

"What is it?" Kakuzu spoke in his normal sharp fashion, not helping Sasuke's confusion. So he looked at Kisame for help. He pointed at Kisame, tilting his head. Since the only response he got was a quirked brow, he gave a frustrated look before pointing to Hidan and then Kakuzu. Still, no one understood. "What? You want someone with a blade to do it?"

Sasuke looked even more annoyed now, not seeing any paper he could write on. So he pointed to Konan and Nagato now. Sasori thought for a moment. "Something Hidan and Kakuzu have in common with Konan and Nagato?" have on his face before giving a look of realization. "Partners?" Sasuke nodded, then pointed to Kisame with a desperate look. "Oh, you want to know where Kisame's partner is. You want to know where Itachi's at?"

The young Uchiha nodded, confused by the looks of betrayal on Konan and Nagato's face, while everyone else seemed relaxed enough at the question. Deidara chuckled, "Don't worry about it. The bastard had to stay behind to watch Tobi, under orders of Konan and Nagato. He's fine."

Hidan nodded, frowning a bit, "Kinda surprised he didn't fight it more, though. He was pretty pissed when Tobi came back without you." before letting out a laugh, "Come to think of it, he's probably having his way with Tobi as we speak. He was such a fucking bitch the entire time you were gone. It was nothing but search, search, search until he found you."

Sasuke nodded a bit to Deidara, relaxing a bit to let Kakuzu begin working on his tongue. He wished Itachi was here, but he knew he was in good hands even with the others. He only hoped Itachi wasn't mad at him, even if he had every reason to be after he followed Tobi despite his warnings.

The teen felt a handhold onto his free one from his left. He couldn't look over to see who it was, but it was comforting none the less. He focused on listening in on the other conversations, trying not to think about the needle in his mouth. No, he'd definitely rather listen in on Deidara flirting with Sasori.


	27. How Much Can A Copy Ninja See?

The night in the hotel had been pretty rough. Sasuke had shared a bed with Neji, while Naruto had shared with Gaara. The girls had wound up sleeping together on the couch. The Akatsuki members mostly settled for resting in either chairs that were placed around the room or not at all. Some of the members, the ones who didn't need sleep, decided to stay up and keep watch just in case.

Kakashi was tied to a table leg, Sasori and Zetsu both watching over him throughout the night with a weary look. They didn't trust this ninja, even if Sasuke seemed fond of him. It was three hours past when the ones that needed to sleep fell asleep when they began speaking to the other ninja in whispers.

"Who are you and how do you know Sasuke?" Sasori gave a squat beside the silver-haired ninja, eyeing him wearily. Had this man manipulated Sasuke into trusting him somehow? Why had Sasuke so quickly pleaded for him not to be killed off? Zetsu watched from behind Sasori, arms crossed quietly in suspicion as well. Though initially only using the Akatsuki as a way of gathering power to bring his mother back to life, he had grown quite attached to the children over time. He didn't want to see them hurt any more than Sasori did.

Kakashi shrugged. "I'm Kakashi Hatake. I was in charge of keeping an eye on him when the village had him. He was living with me for the last week or so." he answered simply, figuring Sasuke would tell them when he was able to anyway.

Zetsu frowned from behind Sasori. "What else?" Kakashi glanced at him as he heard his question. "You aren't telling us everything."

A small frown lined Kakashi's masked face as he heard the split man speak. He was sharp, wasn't he? "I was also Itachi's captain before he betrayed the village, so I got to see him quite a bit when he was younger. I doubt he would remember, though." he shrugged. It wouldn't make sense for Sasuke to unless it was a subconscious thing.

Sasori looked mildly skeptical, but he supposed it would make sense. Perhaps that was why Sasuke seemed so skeptical about stopping Kisame when he had. Perhaps, the teen didn't know why he had himself. "Even so, if you're planning on using that against him, we will kill you the moment we see it."

Zetsu nodded, agreeing with Sasori, but not seeing much threat in the other ninja. He didn't seem hostile nor manipulative.

Kakashi shrugged from his position. "If you want to kill me, go right ahead. It isn't like emotional manipulation from me would do any damage anyway. He made it quite clear that he's a true ninja back in the leaf."

By now, Konan and Nagato had woken up from the hushed voices and had come over to hear what they were hushing back and forth about. Nagato gave a blank look to Kakashi, "He is not a full-blown ninja yet. He's barely a teenager. In case you missed the part where he was weeping the entire time back because of your village."

Kakashi quirked a brow. "I by no means think he's a full-blown ninja. I'm saying he has the heart of one. A good core to start working around."

Konan nodded in agreement, though hesitant. "He does show promise. I'm certain he'll be a great ninja one day." arms crossed over her chest in doubt they thought so for the same reasons. "What makes you think he will?" Personally, she thought he would make a great ninja because of his stealth and bravery. If he was able to hold out an entire week and a half in enemy hands, she was sure he would do the Rain Village proud when he got older. As if she wasn't proud enough already, she mused.

The man grinned under his mask, "His ability to connect with his comrades and captors alike, of course." seemingly thrilled at the boy's attitude. "His endurance too, of course. But the way he's so charismatic without meaning to be is amazing. He escaped Suna by sweet-talking the people set to watch over him. Begging for just a sip of water." he smirked. "Then headbutting them hard enough to knock them out. The skill it must have taken to get the keys off the guy after he was knocked out. Then to slip by, injured! Stunning. That's not even getting into the condition I found him in."

Kisame rolled over from his spot on one of the chairs, "Condition?" he grunted in question.

Kakashi nodded, "He had bruises and cuts all over the place. Holes in his body from kunai being entered and twisted. He shouldn't have been able to walk, let alone run away with those injuries. His endurance is amazing for a ninja his age. It looked like he had used something to disinfect his injuries since they weren't infected. He smelt a bit like honey, actually. Not sure where he got honey, though." he chuckled.

The others only frowned at this, easily able to guess why he would use honey. Kakuzu smirked from across the room, now listening in as well with Hidan. That was his little brat, he knew the boy'd remember at least that. "I waited until he was finished eating to sneak up behind him and grab for him, but you should have seen the way he stitched himself up. I half didn't want to interrupt purely out of surprise."

"He took a thread from a shirt and used it to sew himself up while gagging himself with the cloth. He carried on even when screaming into the cloth. It was damn impressive. Konoha removed a lot of the huge stab wounds so he was easier to manage when he first arrived, but they left some of them once they realized who he was. Even though, he was walking around my house like he owned the place." he mused.

"He was even able to communicate to you all where he was without panicking, and just in time." he mused, seeming unconcerned with the fact he was talking to enemies as he praised the boy. "His communication skills are A-Grade. I've tested and failed hundreds of students to try and find a worthy pack of students. No one's done something half as brilliant before."

Deidara rolled over from his spot on the floor, "Why did you allow yourself to be captured?" laying on his stomach and lightly swinging his legs in boredom. "You've been way too relaxed this entire time. It's like you don't even care that you're captured. You do know that even if Sasuke won't let us kill you, we'll be tossing you in the prison cells when we get home."

Kakashi shrugged. "At least it'll be interesting."

Well, the Akatsuki hadn't expected that. Deidara looked exhausted, "What do you mean, interesting? It's a cell. It has four walls, a toilet, and a bed. You were a lead jonin. Why the hell would you risk something like that over Sasuke? You haven't even seen the kid in years."

Kakashi hummed, leaning on the item he was tied to. "Let's just say I made a promise to someone, a long time ago. Long before you all were in the picture." he mused tiredly.

TKTKTKTKTKTKKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK

Truth be told, Kakashi was tired. He'd been through too much shit in his short life.

His mother had died the night he was born, so that wasn't a great start to his path in life. Still, he was happy to spent time with the man he idolized most in his life-- his father. The man had taught him everything there was to know about being a ninja, from moral codes to how to throw his first shuriken.

Of course, idolizing his father only made him that much more disconnected from his peers. So it wasn't easy when the man went and died, leaving him all alone. After all, he had pushed his peers away long ago. There was no going back after that, he figured.

As such, he settled for focusing on his studies. He didn't care about anyone else until he was put on his genin squad. Not until he met Obito and Rin. It seemed like no matter how much he pushed away from them, they only came back ten times as strong with their support. Even if Obito was a loud idiot, he was his loud idiot.

So when Rin was kidnapped and Obito said they had to rescue her? What other choice did he have? He knew he might have been more intelligent academically, but even then he knew Obito knew best when it came to emotional matters.

So he'd gone after Rin. Killed her in the process of trying to save her. Watched his only friend in a long time be crushed to death on the same mission. It was insufferable. The two rays of sunlight in his life, gone. The only thing left for him to comfort himself with was that he still had his sensei.

Even that didn't last for long, though. The man was dead, dying a hero just as he had begun to connect with his classmates. Just as he thought he could carry on, his last shred of light had been taken from him. In its place, though, a new light had appeared. Naruto Uzumaki.

The boy was so sweet, even as a newborn. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to keep the promise he had made Minato. The promise to always look after the then-unborn baby. It just... it hurt too much. Everyone he had ever loved had died. It drove him insane to look at the small bundle and worry about getting attached to him. If he got too attached, he was sure Naruto would die too.

So he never got to know him. He never stepped in as he heard the others whispering around the boy, isolating him. It hurt so bad to not step in, but he was far too heartbroken to take care of him.

He tried to numb his emotions. He remained in the ANBU, following through on his heartless duties for years. He lost and gained a lot of comrades, but the one that had always stuck with him was a certain Uchiha.

The boy was barely eleven-- most kids were barely graduating at that age, some entering in their senior year. Yet, here he was, in the ANBU. Their first mission together had been rough. The boy had killed without remorse. Kakashi had been shocked since the boy seemed so sweet and gentle outside of battle. It was only later that he realized the rumors of him being a 'cruel captain who would kill anyone who wasn't willing to strike down opponents' or something along those lines. They had sprouted up after his teammates continued to die, yet he survived despite his efforts to save them.

It was strange. Itachi didn't seem to fear dying by his hands for refusing to kill immediately. No, it was like he saw it as his responsibility to live. It was like the small Uchiha was chained down to earth despite his lack of interest in the world.

They went on many missions. Itachi didn't die. In fact, he saved Kakashi quite a few times. Slowly, a bond of trust was formed. Trust that Itachi would be different. That he wouldn't die. Soon enough, he had taken the boy under his wing. Always going out for dango after a mission, training off-the-clock, and visiting each other occasionally.

It was on one of these visits he learned what was keeping Itachi chained down to earth. A little boy. Only three years old the first time he saw him. The way Itachi had lead him into his house, but quickly became ambushed by hugs and babbles from the little boy was shocking. The way the seemingly miserable and empty pre-teen coddled the little boy, telling him that he had to wait a bit before they could play. There wasn't a doubt in Kakashi's mind that Sasuke meant everything to Itachi.

Which was why it was so shocking when the pre-teen entrusted his safety to him one night. Kakashi hadn't known at the time why Itachi was so pleading. Why he was so desperate to get his agreement to watch over little Sasuke. Why he was so relieved when Kakashi finally gave in and agreed.

It made sense a little too late. When the clan was destroyed, Kakashi was one of the first ones on the case. He'd seen Sasuke wailing in the streets at anyone who dared to come near him. He's watched the boy run back inside his house and throw a fit when anyone came too close to the dead bodies of his parents. He'd watched it all.

He had also felt it when the boy's eyes had landed on him, back then. When they'd widened in recognition, a newly hurt look spreading over his face. He'd felt it as Sasuke ran away from his attempts at coming closer, crying at him not to kill him. It was only then that Kakashi realized that, in the six-year-old's mind, Kakashi was allied with everything Itachi did since they had been friends.

He had tried to fix his wrongs. He tried keeping his promise to Itachi, to protect Sasuke. The boy wouldn't allow it, though. It seemed like he was trying to completely block him from his memory. So Kakashi tried going back to Minato's promise. Only to have Naruto reject him on Sasuke's suggestions. He supposed Sasuke had told him about how he was allied with Itachi, so the blonde wouldn't go near him.

Kakashi was still trying to get along with them when the now-famous kidnapping had occurred. He had been at home when he heard the radio flicker on about the 'sudden kidnapping of five children'. Of the 'missing Hyuuga, Uchiha, Uzumaki, and Sand Village' children. He'd searched everywhere, but they were gone. He'd never be able to keep his promise to his dear friends.

He had regretted it for years now. It still haunted him at every corner. Every time he walked past the Uchiha compound. Every time he entered the Hokage Tower. Every time he looked up at the judging monument of the Fourth Hokage. It ate at his soul. The guilt was overbearing. He couldn't focus on reconnecting with the others anymore.

In his eyes, he didn't deserve to be their friend. Not Guy, not Asuma, no one. No matter how much they tried, he rejected it until they had given up. The children disappearing was the last straw for him to snap into dispair,

So to see they were alive and well? To see that they were loved? It calmed him. Besides, if he went with them, maybe he'd get a chance to apologize to Itachi for not helping him sooner. If only he had paid more attention to the slowly hollowing eyes every time they met.

Then maybe Itachi wouldn't have gone mad and killed his family.


	28. Fault

As Sasuke woke the next morning, he noticed that tensions were high with the Akatsuki. Konan and Nagato both seemed more on edge than usual, though he didn't understand why. He shook it off, standing up from the bed. He was still aching, that was for sure. He also knew that he would have to work on hiding it better within the next few hours, however.

After all, he didn't want Itachi to worry over him. If he was too injured, it would break his brother's heart regardless of if he was mad at him over join with Tobi against his wishes. That much he knew already. When Itachi wanted to be, he could be a complete mother hen. Sometimes he was worse than Konan, to be honest.

The teen headed over to where everyone else was sitting, in the living room space. It looked like they were about to head out soon. They just had to wait a bit, since Naruto and Karin were still sleeping. She had spent a lot of energy healing Sasuke up as best she could, even if it wasn't all the way.

He could see all the stressed looks on each of his brothers and sisters' faces, as well as the rest of the Akatsuki. He took the bowl of oatmeal Kisame handed him silently, heading to sit with the others once more. Everyone seemed in a foul mood. The teen pressed his lips together in regret. He supposed Kisame and Itachi were right. He wasn't ready to take on such huge missions. But, to be fair, if he had known they were assassinating a kage he probably would have joined one of his elder classmates as Itachi had suggested.

Oh, who was he kidding? He was way too arrogant for his own good. He deserved to learn this lesson, he decided guiltily. He sighed at these thoughts, taking a few spoonfuls of oatmeal and gently doing his best to swallow. He noted with a bit of embarrassment that even food as liquified as this was hard to swallow now. He had his tongue back in place, but he knew he had to be gentle. The stitches needed time to mold into his tongue. Kakuzu had said it could hurt it if he messed with it further. It wasn't going to fall off again, was it? Sasuke shuttered at the thought, lowering his half-eaten bowl. He had suddenly lost his appetite.

The others around him were busy with talk of which route they should take, so luckily no one seemed to notice when he stood up to go scrape his leftovers in the cooking pot. Or, well, he thought at first.

"You should have eaten that. You're all banged up. A healing body needs nutrients to heal." Sasori sat on the countertop, behind him as he finished scooping it away. He gave a light shrug. "No, really. When was the last time you ate, Sasuke? We didn't have time for dinner yesterday and from what we gather your...interrigation...started in the morning, barely after you had left the house with Kakashi. I doubt they stopped for a lunch break."

The teen shrugged again, but seeing the warning look on Sasori's face, took a breath. He pointed to his tongue, now stitched through the middle, sideways.

Sasori tilted his head a bit. "Does it still hurt a lot, you mean?" seeing a shake of his head, Sasori frowned a bit. What was wrong, then? Sasuke looked embarrassed but made a slight motion of his hand going in and out of his mouth, and suddenly it clicked. "Oh, you're worried it'll mess up the stitches and fall out?" Sasuke nodded, Sasori getting off the counter and motioning towards the food. "Well, it shouldn't if you're careful. It's not all that solid, after all."

Sasuke only gave another light shake of his head, hoping Sasori wouldn't make him eat it anyway. It made him sick thinking about it, but he also knew he needed to eat something. He was relieved when Sasori gave him a nod, the older ninja offering, "Alright, if it makes you uncomfortable, we can try something else. I happen to know of a restaurant on the way back since I have to go there a lot to meet up with clients. I'll ask Nagato and Konan if we can stop there for lunch. Last I checked, they had tomato soup on the menu." knowing it was one of the boy's favorite foods. "But you need to start working on eating things that require the tongue soon, alright? Maybe just for the first few days."

Seeing the way Sasuke's face lit up a bit at the mention of tomato soup gave Sasori a bit of relief himself. Seeing the prideful teen so sad and wounded was honestly a strange sight. So it was good to see the triumphant smile, even for a moment over something so small.

It was at that moment that Sasuke was practically tackled from behind. "Bastard! You're awake!" Naruto smiled, hugging onto Sasuke from behind. It was quite the surprise for Naruto when he felt Sasuke squirm in his hold, the older boy giving a high pitched grunt. The Uchiha sent his elbow soaring into Naruto's side in a rather painful manner, the blonde yelling in surprise and grabbing his ribs. "Hey! That fucking hurt!" he growled, looking ready to rumble with Sasuke.

Sasuke turned on his heel, his smile gone, replaced with a furious glare. Sasuke raised his fist in warning, clearly ready to fight despite his injuries. "Damn it, why was I even worried about you? I didn't do anything, why'd ya hit me?" he argued, grabbing the front of Sasuke's shirt.

Naruto quickly let go as he felt a hand on his shoulder but assumed it was only Konan ready to give her normal spill about not fighting with his brother. Instead, he was surprised to see that it was Deidara holding him back. The younger quickly became puzzled. Wasn't Deidara usually the one cheering on their fights?

"Naruto, look at Sasuke." the blonde froze for a moment at how serious Deidara sounded, not used to it with the fun-loving artist. He obeyed, more out of surprise at Deidara's attitude than compliance. "Really look at him," Deidara repeated.

As Naruto focused his view rather than simply flinging himself around with affection at the other without looking as he normally did, his annoyed look quickly dropped. He noticed Sasuke had slowly lowered his fighting pose into one of slight embarrassment as Sasori laid a hand on the Uchiha's shoulder.

Sasuke's comfort with the topic was the least of Naruto's worries, though. Now that he looked at the other, he noticed how banged up he was. The other had bandages wrapped around his ankles and wrists alike. His skin was littered with harsh looking welts as if he had been beaten over the skin with something. There were cut marks littering his body, poorly sewn together with weak thread. The worst seemed to be the three slash marks over his mouth, three perfectly cut lines running from above his lips to just below them. The stitching was terrible, leaving them a bit sore looking. Then, that was only what he could see. He didn't want to imagine what was under the many bandages running along his body.

Suddenly, Naruto knew why Sasuke had elbowed his so hard as well as why Deidara was so serious. He could feel the eyes of both the artists, the only other ones in the kitchen, drilling holes into him. The blonde ducked his head a bit, guilty for throwing himself on Sasuke then starting up a fight without looking. He glanced over at him, hurt to see his brother in such a state. He bit out, "I'm sorry." with anger, though not at Sasuke anymore.

Who the hell had done this to him? Who the hell did they think they were to hurt Sasuke? He felt his anger boiling up inside him, the hand on his shoulder giving a firm squeeze. Deidara spoke, "He's alright, kid. We'll be able to restitch him with the best medical supplies when we get home tonight. There'll probably be some scarring, but they should fade over time. He'll be almost completely the same, physically." he tried to comfort him.

Naruto's hair fell a bit in front of his face, seemingly taking this harder than Sasuke had thought any of them would.

Sasuke knew he was cared about. Before all this, he knew they would always protect him. He knew they'd always be his family. He knew they'd always love him. In what way, though? He was only now realizing.

The best way for Sasuke to describe how he viewed his relationship with the others before all this was to think back to his biological father. Fugaku. He had always loved the man, wanting to make him proud. Wanting to receive his affections the same way Itachi had. In the end, however, it had always felt like Fugaku loved him more out of obligation as his father than for who he was.

As such, that's how he had viewed his relationship with most of the others in his little 'Akatsuki family', outside of Itachi and Konan. He loved them all, but he had always assumed it was one-sided. That they loved him out of obligation rather than true affection, just as Fugaku had.

When Kisame trained him in sword fighting, it was to please Itachi, he figured. When Kakuzu and Hidan sparred with him, it was to build his usefulness, he figured. When Deidara or Sasori used to accept his shitty drawings and hang them on their walls, he assumed it was simply to make him happy so Konan didn't bother them about upsetting him. When Zetsu played chess with him, or Tobi roughhoused with him, he guessed it was out of obligation as an older 'family' member. Even Nagato, who he considered himself closer with than his biological one, had presumed he was loved because Konan had wanted kids and Nagato wanted Konan happy. That was what he had said the first night when they first 'adopted' them.

He had always guessed that the ones younger than him simply looked up to him since he was older, that it was a given. He assumed that Karin and Neji had always comforted him or made it up to him after teasing him simply because it was their job as an older sibling. He had always imagined that their love and protection was just something they had decided to do. Like a check off the list of things to do in a day.

That was what he had thought before. Now, seeing the agony on everyone's face as they saw him, something clicked. Sasuke felt foolish for thinking otherwise all these years. They didn't love him out of obligation. Far from it. He could tell that their happiness was connected directly to his, in the same way Sasuke grew upset at the idea of accidentally leaking information on them and getting one of them hurt. The idea alone was unbearable because they were more than just family. They were friends.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKKTKTTKKTKTTKKTKTKTKTKTKTK

The Uchiha noticed Karin waking up about an hour later and took a breath. It was time to go. The burning on his ankles hadn't completely healed since Karin couldn't use much blood without risking his tongue reattaching strangely, but for the most part, they were better. He could walk around now, which was nice. They just had this sort of dull aching. The pain was mostly subsided due to Karin's medicinal herbs and Hinata's creams.

Kisame glanced over at him, "Are you good to run with us, or do you want to hop on again?" looking completely serious, much to Sasuke's embarrassment. The teen only shook his head back and forth, ducking it a bit. He wasn't completely sure he could keep up, but he didn't want to be carried now that he was in a clearer mindset. He loved Kisame, but his pride could only take so much thrashing.

Within a few moments, they were leaving the hotel room and heading downstairs. Sasuke noticed a man approaching them and averted his eyes. Oh, fuck. Just his luck.

"Hello there!" the man started out with, looking a bit nervous at the large group of shinobi. He was an elderly shop owner that Sasuke recognized far too easily. "We just wanted to warn you all before you leave to be on the lookout. Multiple items have gone missing from our stands outside. We believe a ninja thief is on the loose. No one saw a thing. They just up and disappeared!" he laughed. "At first I thought it was just my clothes blowing in the wind again, but then a few others said they were missing things too." he tried to laugh it off as he warned them.

Sasuke silently gave an annoyed look as Kakuzu glanced at him from the corner of his eye. He could feel the others resisting looking in his direction as well, so he snorted a bit and took the lead to get them out of the small village. Whatever, the supplies had fulfilled their purpose and the shop owners were none the wiser. As they headed out, he noticed the eyes of the Akatsuki on him. Shit, they knew.

Hidan smirked as they made their way further into the Rain territory. "So, putting your stealth classes into use? Pro-tip, don't steal from countries your village is in a fucking alliance with." he joked.

Sasuke sent him a dirty glare, Sasori moving a hand in front of them both. "Don't start it. We're close to the place we'll be having lunch. We'll be kicked out if you two go at it again." thinking of the many times Sasuke and Hidan had gotten into arguments in public, resulting in swearing free for all. He hoped this time they could just go out for a nice and simple meal. He wasn't exactly hungry, but the mood of going out to eat was always something to remember.


	29. The Feared Akatsuki

As they filed into the small restaurant, the kids glanced around. It was nice but much different from what they were used to. Since they rarely left the village, it was a rare sight for them. The kids got in first, followed by Kakashi, then lastly the Akatsuki.

They had been forced to bring Kakashi in with them because apparently 'can you keep an eye on my hostage if I keep him tied up outside' was an inappropriate request. They had decided setting him by the window was too easy of an escape, as was putting him on the outer seat. Due to this, here he was, awkwardly stuck in between the curious eyes of the kids and heated looks from the adults. Ah, fun.

The waiter came over, the late teen boy looking a bit nervous as he was assigned the large group of powerful shinobi and their group of younger teenagers. Oh, there was a hostage too which sounded like fun to serve. Why hadn't the manager called the police yet? Oh, fuck.

He made quick work of heading over, not wanting to keep them waiting. "Hello!" he spoke in his work voice, "For menu options, who wants the kiddie menus and who wants the adults?" he doubted these bloodthirsty ninja would want kiddie menus, but he was required to offer since they mostly looked younger than sixteen.

A purple-haired woman opened her mouth but was interrupted by a blonde teen. The boy seemed excited, "I want one of the ones with the coloring pages!" he spoke loudly. The waiter noticed one of the elder teens send him a glare, so the blonde added promptly, "Please?"

He handed him a kiddie menu, noticing a red-haired boy's hand go up shyly as well. Promptly, a red-haired girl followed his movements as well as a blue-haired girl. He had to double-take as two of the adults motioned for one as well. Another redhead and blonde. The waiter handed them out, feeling a bit odd for being so nervous about this group. They were a bunch of damn children!

"I'll be back in ten minutes. Ask one of the others if you're ready before then." he murmured, heading off to work on his other tables.

TKTKTKTKTKTKKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKKTKKTKTKTKTKKTK

Kazuku and Hidan sighed a bit as they watched Sasori and Deidara begin drawing on their papers along with the children. They must have done it a bit too loud, however, as Sasori glanced up to narrow his eyes in warning of their scoffing. After all, the redhead figured if they were going to wait forever for them to come back they might as well enjoy the time.

Sasuke and Neji both opened their menus, taking their childish pride in not having the children's menu. Sasuke didn't have to look hard as he found the soup section. Then it was just a matter of figuring out which tomato soup he wanted. Why were there so many types of seasoned soups?

Neji, on the other hand, found it pretty easy to choose. He found the soba section, then looked through it until he found it. Herring soba it was, then.

Naruto grinned, "I'm getting ramen." Nagato sighing a bit. He had long since given up on trying to rid him of the terribly unhealthy ramen addiction.

Gaara nodded quietly, "I'll have ramen too." glancing over at Hinata, "Are you getting ramen too?" when the girl nodded, Konan looked mildly exhausted. Why bother going out to eat if all the children were going to get is something they could buy at home for a dollar? At least Sasuke and Neji looked like they'd be getting something a bit different than usual.

Karin hummed, leaning on her arm. "I'll have ramen too." since there wasn't really anything she specifically liked on the menu.

The Akatsuki sighed a bit at their children but moved on to their own food for now. Kids would be kids, they guessed.

The adults all set to picking their lunch fairly easily, already knowing what they wanted. Kisame ordered some yakiimo since it looked rather good in the menu's photo.

Sasori glanced over at Deidara, "I want sukiyaki but they only sell it in large amounts. Would you like to share so we don't have to throw the extra away?" his voice dull and uninterested as he considered it.

Deidara's cheeks tinted a bit, nodding. "Might as well. I was going to order it anyway, so it doesn't matter." waving a hand back and forth dismissively, Sasori nodding. Neji, Sasuke, and Karin gave a side look to each other, the three eldest unimpressed with how dense the two artists could be.

Kakuzu and Hidan both rolled their eyes, settling on oden. Idiotic artists.

Zetsu ended up ordering some niku jaga, smiling happily on his light side and giving an annoyed huff on his dark half.

Finally, Nagato and Konan chose to get nabe and yudofu. The two glanced at the kids, "Have you decided on what you want?" Seeing a round of nods, he prepared to order but stopped when he felt a tug on his sleeve. He glanced back around to see Sasuke reaching across the table. "What is it, Sasuke?"

Sasuke handed him a napkin that had been written on with one of the crayons from the packets. Sasuke had written, "Can we get something for Itachi too?"

Nagato frowned a bit, conflicted when it came to Itachi. On one hand, he had been with them for years and was like family. On the other, he had betrayed them. It was impossible to know if he was faking his bond with the children but only revealed it in case he was revealed when they came for Sasuke. For now, the safest option was to be against Itachi.

Seeing Sasuke all banged up and in pain, however, had him reluctant. The boy had been through a lot today. He hated to do it, but once they got home they would have to lock Itachi up for questioning. For the time being, though, he just wanted a nice lunch with the rest of his family. He knew it was selfish to lead Sasuke on, but he just wanted one lunch before chaos overtook. He would tell him when they got home and after Itachi was given the food. "Alright. What should we get?"

Sasuke brightened, scribbling down, "His favorite is kelp rice balls." and showing it to Nagato.

Naruto asked nervously, "Hey- um. Can we get something for Tobi too? I know everyone's upset with him for leaving Sasuke." he waves his hands around, "I am too! I am! But you have him under locks and he hasn't got to eat much since we've been busy looking for Sasuke."

After all, even if Naruto was pissed at Tobi, he was still his family. In Naruto's eyes, he had made a mistake and would have to make up for it. Hinata and Gaara both nodded a bit, being just as soft-hearted as Naruto. Karin looked angry at the idea, Neji crossing his arms in disagreement. Sasuke just looked down at his lap, knowing all eyes were on him. Konan sighed, "It's up to Sasuke."

Well, so much for staying out of the spotlight. Sasuke mentally sighed. As he had thought time and time again-- it was his own fault he got left behind. He should have listened to Itachi and Kisame. Tobi had warned him that he wouldn't be holding his hand the entire time. As such, the dark-haired teen nodded. He noticed wide smiles from Naruto, concerned looks from Gaara and Hinata, and dumbfounded looks from the others. He felt Kisame reach around Kakashi to ruffle his hair a bit.

Hinata asked Kakashi curiously, "When was the last time you ate?" before glancing over at the Nagato. "Papa, he hasn't eaten today either. Can we get him something?"

Kakuzu and Hidan both looked at each other with mildly tired looks. Had the academy not explained that you weren't required to feed your hostage?

Nagato looked defeated by this point, nodding. "Sure. Why not. We'll order some miso soup." not bothering to ask the silver-haired man if he liked it or not. He was their hostage, and the only reason he wasn't dead was their difficulty to say no to the kids.

The kids looked mostly content now, the waiter coming back in a few moments with a clipboard. He looked just as nervous as before, much like the other customers. Now that they glanced around a bit, they noticed that they were the center of attention. Everyone was eyeing them with disgust, fear, interest, or a mixture of all three. Kisame gave them a side glare, noticing the slightly uncomfortable kids. He noticed people either hurrying to pay the check or whip their heads around to focus on their foods. Kisame snorted a bit. The judgemental assholes had better mind their damn business.

They quickly filled in their order, the young teen rushing off to go give the order to the chiefs.

Kakashi noticed Kisame's glare and gave a disbelieving look to himself. This was the big, bad Akatsuki? By the mission reports, you'd think they'd enjoy kicking puppies for fun. But here they were, bending over backward for the kid's comfort and happiness.

Konan gave Kakashi a hard look as she noticed his bafflement, the silver-haired man easily glancing to the side to avoid her eyes. She was staring at him as if resisting snapping his neck, the silver-haired ninja only giving an unconcerned look as he watched the kids talk back and forth. It was idle chatter, but it still spoke wonders for the previously shy or lonely children.

Sasuke was passing a note back and forth with Hinata, the younger girl grinning and sending the note back with a response. Sasuke would snicker or lightly glare at her, the two seeming to be having fun. He noticed the older Hyuuga, Neji, looking over his cousin's shoulder at the note occasionally with a suspicious look at Sasuke. Kakashi mused a bit-- still so protective.

The red-haired one, he didn't actually know her name, was bickering back and forth lightly with Naruto about some guy who seemingly had a crush on Naruto. He was denying it, but the red-head didn't seem convinced as she jabbed at him with her elbow, humming, "Baby brother has an admirer~"

Gaara was lightly tugging the girl's sleeve, trying to get her to stop. "Sister, that's unkind. You should leave him alone."

Kakashi noted that the boy looked a lot healthier than he has last seen him during his prior visits to Konoha. His eyes seemed brighter, he was no longer skin and bones, and he didn't have those terrible bags under his eyes. Overall, he looked well. At least, until the tables were turned on his by the girl and she began teasing him. "Tch, you're right. He's not the bad one. At least if he had a crush he'd go up to them instead of being all shy." she smirked, Gaara going red enough to match his hair.

Kakashi had to admit, he was shocked. He didn't think there was a single way anyone could be even mildly unfucked up after living with a dangerous group like the Akatsuki for years. Yet they were, teasing each other and passing notes like normal children. He could feel the Akatsuki's glares as he watched the children, but only stopped once the food arrived.

They all thanked the man, beginning to eat their food. Kakashi noticed Sasuke was particularly happy to chug down the tomato soup. Just as messy as ever, he noticed as he ate his food. It was actually really good. Ironically, he'd give his hostage situation a ten out of ten rating. His contentedness must have been obvious since he noticed the red-haired adult drilling holes in him with his eyes as he shared food with the blonde one. Kakashi stared back with a bored expression, making the other man narrow his eyes. He had a feeling they didn't like him.


	30. Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has been commenting and Kudoing, it really makes my day-- I hope you all continue to enjoy the story.

Kisame split off from the group on the way home and took Kakashi to the nearly empty rain village prison, the silver-haired man not giving much complaint. He needed to rest before he talked to Itachi about this anyway. Kisame seemed almost unnerved by how compliant Kakashi was being, eyes narrowed as he locked him up. It was clear he was full of suspicions. "Don't try anything or we will kill you, regardless of if Sasuke pleads or not," he warned.

A voice sounded from the cell across from Kakashi, Tobi speaking, "So, you've found the rug-rat then?" his voice calm and not particularly guilty. Kisame had to resist the urge to swing for the other with his sword.

"He had been retrieved but is in terrible condition. You had better count your lucky stars that he survived this and is being forgiving. If he wasn't, you'd be gone." he clarified, tossing him a wrapped up bit of food. "The kids wanted you to have this. You better be grateful." he narrowed his eyes, gripping his sword.

Tobi's single visible eye widened a bit as he caught the foods. He knew the kids were angry with him, so why would they go out of their way to make sure he ate?

Before he had a chance to ask, Kisame was gone, leaving the two prisoners alone. Tobi finally focused on the other and his blood went cold. It was Kakashi. What was he doing there? Had the Akatsuki somehow found out who he was and brought him as a form of mental torture?

He heard a sigh ring out from the silver-haired man who seemed to be trying to rearrange himself in a more comfortable position. Tobi decided to try and pry a bit of information out of the other. Maybe he could learn why he was here. "You didn't seem to be struggling all that bad," he noted.

Kakashi only shrugged a bit. "I don't care to be captured. Besides, they were rather nice when I wasn't being hoisted around like a sack of potatoes." he joked lightly, but Tobi could see the hesitance to talk to another prisoner. Kakashi shocked him when he heard his next question. "So, you're the one who left Sasuke to die?"

Tobi glared at him through the mask. Typical cold bastard. "I did. So what? It isn't like you know the brat."

Kakashi sent him a smile, but it was a dangerous one. "Not very well, but he was your comrade. To abandon him like that, you must be a pretty big piece of scum," he noted easily.

That was all it took for Tobi to begin fuming, losing his temper quite easily. "How dare you! I left him to make him stronger! As if you've never left a comrade, you seem like the kind to kill them off yourself!" he accused, the look of pure agony that crossed Kakashi's face made Tobi both smug and regretful. He knew it was a low blow, but this so-called Kakashi deserved it after what he did to poor Rin!

Kakashi clenched his jaw, looking to the side. This was a conversation he didn't need to be having with some stranger, he reprimanded himself. This man knew nothing of him. His opinion didn't matter.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Once they got home, the first thing Sasuke went looking for was his brother. Nagato tried to ask him to hold on, but Sasuke was already gone by that time. He was carrying the kelp treats, going straight for his brother's room. He found him in there, sure enough.

Itachi was sitting on his head, Akatsuki robes off and hair let out of its normal ponytail. His nails were holding tightly to his scalp, obviously tired and a mess. Sasuke froze momentarily in the doorway, gulping down his guilt. If only he hadn't been captured, Itachi wouldn't be hurting right now. Sasuke slowly approached, Itachi lifting his head to look at his brother.

Sasuke nearly dropped the box when he received a harsh glare from Itachi. He suspected that his brother would be upset with him for not obeying, but he didn't think he'd be angry enough to return to the icy look from that night.

The look on Itachi's face was one of pure anger, as though he would reach out to attack Sasuke at any moment. His narrowed eyes and scrunched up brows made it hard to not be intimidated. Sasuke's legs didn't want to move from their spot, but he forced them to. He forced one foot in front of the other, reaching out to hand the sneering older Uchiha the food. His mouth flew open to follow the movements of a gasp as Itachi smacked them out of his hands and onto the floor.

The teen took a step back. This wasn't right. Even when Itachi was angry or disappointed in him, he'd never do this. He normally gave him the silent treatment, a cold shoulder, or simple and quick responses. He always looked calm, even when angry. Why was he doing this? "Do you have something to say, Sasuke?"

Sasuke's stitched up lip quivered slightly, knowing he had to of screwed up majorly. He spoke, though his voice was nothing as it usually was. It was quiet and high pitched, the words mushing together no matter how hard he tried. "M' sorry." he panicked, "M' sorry, tachi!" not sure why his brother was being so suddenly cruel.

He could see Itachi momentarily looked overcome with grief, but his brother quickly hid it. "I don't particularly care if you're sorry or not. In case Konan hasn't told you yet, I've been a spy for the village this entire time. I couldn't care less about you or the Akatsuki. So you're free to leave, if that is all."

Sasuke felt like his lungs were going to burst, the teen breathing deeply and grabbing onto his own chest. "No!" he spoke muffledly. "No!" ignoring Kakuzu's warnings not to talk for at least another day so they would be semi-healed.

The moment Itachi had let that small look of grief pass over his face, Sasuke had known something was wrong. Now, hearing that he had been spying and was on Konan's radar, Sasuke knew exactly what was happening. "Ya not doin' it again. I won' let ya!" he glared, moving over to hold onto Itachi's arm despite the older Uchiha's protests.

Itachi did his best to shove Sasuke off, but Sasuke kept a firm hold on his arm. "What the hell are you talking about? Did you not hear what I said? I don't care about you." he repeated, as though Sasuke were a young child not understanding simple instructions.

Sasuke ignored his aching body, climbing on top of Itachi and wrapping his legs around his waist. Seeing as Itachi didn't throw him off, he knew his suspicions were right. He wrapped his injured arms around his brother, holding on like his life depended on it. He nuzzled his face into Itachi's shoulder, refusing as Itachi grabbed handfuls of his hair and tried to tug him off as gently as possible. "Ya ya do! I know ya do! Ya tryin' to play hero again. Ya tryin' to make me hate ya cus ya don' wan me to be sad when ya gotta leave. Ya wan me happy with the Akatsui." hugging onto Itachi tighter as he felt him freeze.

"I don' know why ya spied for leaf, but if ya in trouble with Akatsui, I wan be there with ya. Ya my family. I don' wanna hate ya. I don' wanna be ignor-ant no more." his words began to worsen the more he spoke, and Itachi quickly noticed the bits of blood leaking from Sasuke's mouth. He panicked, trying to shush his brother as the teen carried on, "I love ya. I love tachi."

Itachi could only lightly mutter 'shit', knowing his plan was a failure after all. He supposed it was pushing it to try and trick Sasuke into hating him twice. He used his sleeve to wipe the blood off Sasuke's lips, frowning as he saw how serious the boy was. So much for trying to quickly detach himself from Sasuke so that Sasuke would take his death easier. Itachi didn't have a doubt in his mind that Nagato and Konan would have him killed. He didn't want Sasuke to take it so hard, so he had tried to make the other one take his death easier by having him angry with him. Plus, this way, Sasuke would be less likely to behave crazier once he was gone than if Itachi was forgiven him right away. Itachi cursed Sasuke's intelligence.

Itachi wrapped his arms around Sasuke, finally pulling him completely into a hug. He felt selfish, to give up so easily. What was he supposed to do when Sasuke started bleeding all over, though? Itachi gently took his jaw, opening it up to look inside. His heart melted as he saw the cause for Sasuke's little speech impediment. He noticed Sasuke about to say something, but he motioned for him to be quiet as he hugging onto him. "You're too smart for your own good, Sasuke. You know I could never hate you." running a hand through the younger's hair.

Sasuke froze when he heard Nagato and Konan enter in the room, the boy tightening his grip on Itachi. He looked up at his pitying parents, a pleading look in his eyes. Meanwhile, Itachi held onto his brother, giving a pained look but knowing that it was his own fault things had gone so wrong. If he'd just stopped or come clean about being a spy sooner, none of this would have happened. He couldn't see how corrupt Konoha was, he was too busy focusing on his promise to Shisui. He should have stopped the moment he got Sasuke back with him. He'd just been too attached to his old promise of protecting Konoha to break it. He loosened his grip on Sasuke, ready to set him down.

Nagato spoke to Sasuke, "We know you're nervous, and that Itachi had probably already filled you in, but you don't need to worry right now, Sasuke. We aren't going to kill him. A lot is going on right now with you being hurt, Tobi being dangerous, and that strange hostage. Our priority is you, but you need to understand that we can't risk Itachi sending them back and information while you're still healing. Until you're better, he'll be in the prison with Tobi and the hostage we brought back. No harm will come to him, and it isn't for sure he'll be punished once we release him. He just needs to be...set to the side for now. So we can focus on you."

Itachi was surprised to hear that they weren't planning on killing him right away, but he assumed it had more to deal with Sasuke's mental health than him specifically. Plus, they were right. They couldn't deal with him while they were overwhelmed by so many other obstacles, otherwise, they might do something rash. He felt Sasuke grip onto his shirt tighter and lightly rubbed his back. "It's alright, little brother. I'll just be staying in the prison a while. It's no worse than a time-out." he hated relating it to something so childish, but by making it childish, he hoped Sasuke would see that it wasn't that bad. "You just focus on getting better." he lightly kissed the younger Uchiha's forehead, nudging him towards Konan as he went with Nagato.

As they headed down, he ignored the pained looks Sasuke gave him as best he could. He could feel Nagato watching him in case he tried to run for it, but he followed quietly. If he just gave them more time, he was sure they would forgive him. If he played his cards right, he might be able to rejoin Sasuke and the others once Sasuke was better. For now, he just had to be patient.

Once they reached the prison, Itachi noticed Tobi in another cell as well as someone he didn't think he'd ever see again. Was that Kakashi? He looked over at Nagato for clarification, but the man didn't seem to notice. That, or he didn't care to answer.

Itachi was placed in the cell beside Kakashi. He could feel the other leaf ninja's eyes on him and wondered momentarily if his old captain would recognize him. Nagato was quick to seal his chakra, blindfold him, tie him up, and take the necessary precautions so that the skilled ninja wouldn't escape, seemingly noticing the increase in Itachi's heartbeat, but not for the reasons he thought. Nagato frowned at him as he locked the door. "Don't worry, Itachi. We'll listen to your reasons. You'll just have to save that story until after Sasuke is healed up and the more dangerous threats are dealt with. We all just need to cool off, I think." turning to leave the tired Uchiha.

Itachi lowered his head a bit, only able to pray to Indra that Kakashi wouldn't recognize him. He didn't want the guilt he felt for what he'd done to Kakashi to resurface any further. His wish was seemingly denied as he heard Kakashi speak, "Itachi, that's you, isn't it?"


	31. Shut Up, Love

Itachi kept his head down, trying to make as little noise as possible. His hands and feet were mostly free, but not enough so that he could escape. He had them pulled up to his chest, trying to ignore Kakashi. If he didn't answer to his name, the other would most likely assume that it had been an issue on his part.

"I know it's you. They blindfolded you, but not me. I know those bags under your eyes and that long hair of yours. You aren't slick." he scolded his old comrade on habit, Itachi seeming to reject the attempt to lighten the situation.

The young Uchiha instantly shot back with a calm demeanor, "Tobi has the Sharingan and doesn't have his eyes covered. Your comrade could have cut his hair. Your argument is invalid."

Kakashi gave the other a look as if asking him if he was serious, though he knew he couldn't see it. "To be fair, they sucked all the chakra out of him anyway so he couldn't use them. Itachi loves his hair. Your defense is invalid." he mused, almost amused at his words.

The dark-haired man felt frustrated, settling for resting his head on his knees. "Fine. What do you want, Hatake?" waiting for Kakashi to start yelling at him about asking him to watch Sasuke only to kill off their family without warning and leave him with a traumatized boy. Him coming back to collect Sasuke only a few months later probably didn't help Kakashi any, either.

Which was why he was surprised as he heard his old captain's words. "I'm sorry, Itachi. You have every reason to ignore me. I failed to keep my promise to you. I came here hoping to apologize and try to set things right. If you'd rather I keep my mouth shut as a prisoner, I will. I just wanted to apologize."

Itachi couldn't see Kakashi's face, but he could hear the truth to his words. Itachi sighed a bit. "It's not your fault. I never thought it was. It was wrong of me to all but force you into accepting my request. It was clear you weren't comfortable with it when you asked. It was a burden I wasn't supposed to drop onto someone else."

Kakashi seemed interested, scooting over as close as he could to Itachi's cell. "No, really. It's not your fault. I was your captain and friend. I should have seen the signs that you were becoming so unhappy. You shouldn't have even had that burden to hand off."

Tobi made a gagging noise from across the room, rolling his eyes. Kakashi promptly glared, focusing on Itachi's words. "No- I didn't go mad. It wasn't something you should have been watching for. There was no way for you to catch something that isn't wrong with me."

Kakashi reached through the cells to lightly try to tap Itachi's shoulder. The teen moved away on reflex, but Kakashi tried his best to pull him over despite his pulling away. "I'm not saying you did. I'm just saying you had to have a momentary lapse of sanity if you decided to end your clan. I know how much you loved the village and your family."

Itachi gritted his teeth, awkwardly allowing Kakashi to pull him into a half huge, the two only restricted by the bars between. "I knew very well what I was doing." he gulped down, head going downcast. "It was a mission for the village. My clan was planning a coup. It was killing them all or risk nearby countries noticing and invading. I was allowed to let Sasuke live since he was so small and knew nothing of it. I- I was in control of my actions. I chose to kill them. I wasn't going insane so there was no way for you to of foreseen it." he assured him.

The silver-haired ninja felt his heart shatter once more. Every hour he was with the Akatsuki, it seemed like he lost more and more trust in his village. "They ordered it? Who? Lord Third?"

"No, Danzo did. Lord third only worked to keep it quiet so that things wouldn't get out of hand. Danzo said people have to do this all the time, make things look like one ninja went mad for the benefit of the village. I was just playing my role. Or, I was. I just couldn't anymore. So I took Sasuke back after a few months since Konan wanted a child of her own. I wanted to see him again while also keeping my promise to Danzo. That's how I ended up locked up. I had to come clean and tell them about my siding with Danzo." shame clear on Itachi's face. "I couldn't keep my word of never speaking of it. I couldn't...not when Sasuke was in danger."

Kakashi nodded in understanding, giving Itachi a serious look. "I understand. You aren't to blame though, Itachi. You were thirteen. Back to my original point, even if it is a bit altered now, you shouldn't have had that burden to share."

Itachi frowned a bit, understanding Kakashi's logic, but still disagreeing with it. Well, sort of. He was conflicted. On one hand, Sasuke was thirteen and he still saw him as barely old enough to make big choices. On the other hand, he was thirteen when he made the choice to end his clan. So it was a bit difficult to say.

So he was wrong on at minimum one account. If Kakashi was right, that meant he was wrong about himself being mentally ready to take on the clan at thirteen. That would also mean he was right about thirteen being too young to take on dangerous missions, proving him right on his choice with Sasuke.

If Kakashi was wrong, that meant he was ready at thirteen just as he had thought. That would also mean he was wrong about coddling Sasuke so much, though.

The thoughts alone hurt his head, and he sighed a bit in the half hug. He knew it depended on the person, but that didn't help his Sasuke situation any.

Now that Sasuke had been taken away for over a week, he didn't want to risk him getting hurt again. His coddling instincts only strengthened. On the other hand, Sasuke had handled himself well and even taken charge back in the bedroom, not letting Itachi lie his way through the situation. He knew his brother was strong, it was just hard to think about letting him go again after such an incident.

"What's wrong, Itachi? I might not be your captain anymore, and I understand if you don't see me as a friend, but I came here to repay you for the broken promise. I'll do what you need of me. I'm on your side alone. I'm your comrade." Kakashi swore.

Itachi glanced over at the other, though he couldn't see him, he knew Kakashi wasn't lying. "Thank you. It's nothing you need to concern yourself with. Just some...private thoughts. I'll fill you in some time."

Kakashi crooked his head, about to ask for more when the door opened and three people came in. Itachi crooked a brow, "Who's there?" trying to get a feel for the chakra signatures but finding it difficult when all tied up. He heard a throaty chuckle. Oh, of course. "Kisame, who's with you."

"Always so demanding, even in a position like yours." Kisame reached through the rails to pinch Itachi's cheek, the Uchiha giving a light gasp at the meaty hand's pressure. He glared from behind the blindfold, but Kisame could more than feel it. The shark ninja lightly patted the area he had pinches, rubbing a circle over it. "Don't be a baby. It's just Sasuke and Naruto. We aren't technically supposed to be in here, but Sasuke kept giving my kitty eyes." he heard a smack sound off, and he assumed it was Sasuke jokingly hitting Kisame's arm. Not that it would affect his thick skin. Another chuckle came, and Kisame added, "Naruto wanted to visit Tobi. So I thought I'd sneak them in just once."

Itachi quirked a brow as Kisame went on, tugging him forward and away from Kakashi in a joking manner. "I sneak down to visit and I find you cuddling up with another man." he could hear the smirk in Kisame's voice, the shark ninja bringing him closer and landing a rough kiss on Itachi's mouth. The Uchiha flustered, shooing Kisame off as he knew his brother was still near. He hated showing affection to Kisame in front of Sasuke, it just felt strange if it was more than a peck on the lips. He assumed Sasuke felt the same way since he could hear Sasuke swatting Kisame's arms.

Itachi cleared his throat, wiping his mouth off with a blush. "If you're down here against Nagato's wishes anyway, you should take this blindfold off for me."

Kisame hummed, "I don't know, I'm kind of liking it on you. Once you're out-"

"Kisame!" Itachi's voice echoing in a loud but startled whisper. "Sasuke is right there. Behave yourself." swatting at him through the bars. He felt the blindfold being removed but was surprised when it was Sasuke who did it rather than Kisame. Sasuke looked extremely upset with Kisame, though Itachi wasn't sure why the teen's feelings were so extreme.

Itachi smiled at Sasuke, "Thank you, little brother." Sasuke nodding in response, the teen sending Kisame dirty looks.

The shark ninja looked at Itachi in confusion, not sure why he was so clearly angered by it. "Hey, kid, I wasn't going to leave it on him. I was just joking. It's something couples do sometimes. We just haven't been around each other for a while without focusing on...other things." not wanting to blame the boy. "I was just playing."

Sasuke crossed his arms at Kisame, looking fairly annoyed with the other as he nodded a bit, holding the blindfold tightly. Naruto was pulled away from his awkward stare off with Tobi, the teen having heard the commotion. Well, this visit couldn't get any more awkward.

"Itachi, I thought you were straight?" came Kakashi's awkward question.

Itachi whipped around with a warning look at the question, on guard, Kisame doing the same. Even Sasuke and Naruto took a moment to size up the 'stranger'. "...I'm on the ace spectrum with a demiromantic orientation, if you must know."

Kakashi raised his hands in mock surrender despite the chains. "Hey now, I don't mean it like that. I just meant because you were dating Izumi before. I mean nothing bad by it."

Itachi's face went red, and Kisame asked, "You never told me you had a girlfriend before me. Weren't you like, thirteen?" assuming it was one of the little nothing relationships teens have.

The Uchiha narrowed his eyes at Kisame, muttering, "I was twelve when we started...getting to know each other. Just because I was younger doesn't mean it doesn't count."

Kisame shrugged a bit, "Never said it didn't." reaching through the bars to lightly rub Itachi's cheek, which was heading up by the minute. "You are mine now, though. Don't forget." he hummed, Sasuke once more sending a grossed-out glare Kisame's way and turning his back to them. Naruto had a similar reaction, gagging in Sasuke's direction. For once, Sasuke could agree with the blonde.

The only reason Sasuke wasn't shooing Kisame off his brother as he normally would was because he knew they probably missed each other after spending nearly two weeks looking for him. Sasuke took Naruto's hand, grumbling, "Les' go, loser." now that he had seen that Itachi was safe.

Kisame smirked in amusement at the teens, Itachi sending a glare at Kisame as he petting on his hair and caressed his face. Idiot shark was lucky he loved him, he bitterly mused, relaxing into the surprisingly soft touches.


	32. Let It Out

When they left to give Kisame and Itachi some space, it was the last time they had seen the prisoners in a week. Nagato had the place on high lockdown, insisting they worry about Sasuke fully healing first. As such, Naruto had yet to get to talk to Tobi and Sasuke was missing Itachi severely.

Sasuke huffed a bit as he noticed Naruto in his doorway, glancing back and forth. It didn't look like anyone was near. He took a few steps, trying to stay as quiet as possible. He noticed Neji as well and snapped at them both, "Why are you sneaking around?"

He had regained the ability to talk, but his voice had changed drastically since it had been removed then reattached. His voice was much quieter now, the tone high but without the precise cuts, it would normally have between words. It was like he was trying to talk after having his tongue numbed. As such, he spoke slowly to help his siblings understand him. They still had problems occasionally, however, especially Naruto and Karin.

Neji was surprisingly the one to speak. "We're taking you outside to train with us."

Naruto nodded beside him, looking confident. Sasuke huffed, rolling over tiredly in his bed. He hadn't been getting much sleep and was still too wounded in the pride to ask anyone besides Itachi for comfort. That and he couldn't exactly leave in the middle of the night to go cuddle with his locked up elder brother in prison. "No, you're not. I'm still hurt."

Neji sat beside him, surprisingly tugging him up in a much gentler way than he was used to interacting with the brunet. He growled a bit as he felt Neji pull him up and into a half hug. "Don't be all sulky. It's just shuriken training." Sasuke reflexively grimaced away as he felt Neji move a piece of his fallen hair out of his face, though it did have a strangely nice feel to it. Neji didn't seem to mind the younger's hesitance however as he continued, "You haven't been outside since you got back. You've been kept under lock and key so we could keep an eye on your injuries. You must be tired of being inside."

The raven-haired teen didn't know why, but something felt off. Why was Neji being so caring with him? He'd seen Neji be like this to Karin, Naruto, Gaara, and Hinata plenty of times. The older rarely did more than ask if he was alright or make him some tea when he was upset. It was just the way they were-- Neji knew he would reject flat out offers of affection so he tended to handle it more subtly. Then that rose the question, of course, why was Sasuke to okay with Neji's affections this time around? He supposed those torture sessions had broken more of his walls down than he had wanted to admit to himself.

He was about to agree when he heard Naruto's impatient voice boom from beside him, "Besides, even if you don't want to train, I and Neji want to talk to you about something." the blonde earning a dirty look from Neji at that.

Sasuke wasn't sure why, but he felt something squeeze up inside him. Normally, he wouldn't be caught dead being nervous about something Naruto saids. Ever since the bulky man had laid his hands on Sasuke the other day, he couldn't help but feel small. It was only just occurring to him how small he really was-- a sixteen year old with a slim and previously doll-like appearance. He felt cliche for thinking of it in such a way, but he felt like he had been cracked. He felt much too vulnerable. The teen felt a hand on his back and gave a miniature grunt, clenching his teeth. He must have gotten lost in thought. Neji was looking over at him, Naruto doing the same, both looking concerned.

Sasuke's cheeks dusted red, glancing away with a grumble. "Fine." standing up before either of them could say anything, Sasuke luckily being healed for the most part now. The only things that remained different physically were his voice, the healed but still scarred burns on his ankle as well as between his shoulder blade, and a few cuts on his body that had been too deep to heal. All in all, he was healed, just sore.

The three of them slid their shoes on, heading out into the back wooded area since it wasn't like a threat could get into the village with Nagato's protection. They were stopped about halfway there, though not by any of the adults. Luckily, the only one home right now was Sasori and he was busy inside with his puppets. One had apparently got a good amount of damage from some Jonin with a bowl cut.

Instead, it was their siblings who stopped them. Karin was giving them all an unimpressed look, her arms crossed, while Hinata was frowning beside her with a worried but firm expression. Having Karin and her brothers around was a huge boost to the girl's confidence over the years. Gaara was with them, quiet and analyzing as usual. "Where are you all going? Dad said Sasuke needs rest." the redhead spoke questioningly.

Naruto pouted at the trio, "Don't be such worrywarts, guys. We're just taking a break from being stuck in the house. We're going to go mess around in the woods." seeing the skeptical look on their faces, he added with a smile, "Don't worry. Nii-san is with us. We'll be safe." motioning to Neji who nodded firmly in agreement.

Karin opened her mouth, clearly ready to tell Sasuke to get his ass back inside since medically this was a terrible idea when Hinata spoke instead. "Why don't we all go together, just in case. We haven't got to see much of each other lately." the youngest explained.

Naruto quickly nodded in agreement, Neji and Sasuke nodding in a much calmer way. They didn't mind. Karin grudgingly nodded, Garra agreeing without much issue. The other three fell into place with the others

Once they made it to the woods, Neji suggested, "How about we practice some shuriken training?" figuring it would be the least strainful. They all agreed since it also happens to be the simplest and most game-like way of training.

They began, conversation not starting up right away, which made Sasuke both relieved and nervous at the same time. He noticed that he could still throw shuriken fine, so that was a relief. He found momentary peace as he threw the weapons, the space around him seeming to blur into peace. He was only snapped out of it by Neji's voice.

"So, the thing we wanted to talk with you about." the brown-haired boy sending Naruto dirty looks for being so blunt. Now he couldn't ease it into the conversation. He'd just hope he wouldn't make Sasuke close up even further. "You've seemed pretty upset the last few days."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, sending a particularly harsh throw at the target. "Sorry, am I supposed to be making you all flower crowns?" sarcasm dripping from his voice.

He felt his elder brother's firm scolding look, though the elder didn't vocalize it. "What we mean is that you haven't been eating as much and all you seem to do is lay around in bed. You've been grimacing quite a lot and barely even respond to us. We're worried about you."

Neji wasn't expecting for a shuriken to come flying at him but luckily ducked out of the way. Had he not moved it probably would have ended up straight in his shoulder. Sasuke went off, "My bad if I'm not in the mood to pretend everything is fine. My tongue is numb, my ankles feel like they're on fire, I can barely move without risking these damn stitches breaking, and everyone keeps getting in my face! Just leave my alone!" he hissed, fist-clenching as if ready to fight Neji despite it being a bad idea. He didn't bother slowing down his words so he was easy to understand, but at least they had understood the majority of his outbursts.

Sasuke felt a hand on his arm and whipped his head around to find it was Gaara looking over at him. His voice was as soft and hollowly innocent as ever. "We aren't saying you shouldn't act like that. We just want to know how we can help, brother. We know it'd be kind of awkward to talk to the adults about it. We just want to know what to do to make you feel better."

The teen's Sharingan flashed momentarily, noticing all eyes were on him. His hands reached up to cover his face, overwhelmed. "I don't- I don't know." his voice lowering in shame. "Everything hurts. Everything makes me nervous. I'm not supposed to act like this. I'm supposed to be calm. It's- it's shameful. I've seen Kisame come home with his stomach sliced open. Deidara broke every bone in his hand once. Hidan has his damn head cut off constantly. I shouldn't be freaking out over this."

Karin frowned over at him, "Sasuke, they're adults. They're used to it. I'm sure the first time they got a big wound they were upset too." she tried, moving towards Sasuke to lightly push him into a sitting position. The others followed her lead, sitting beside them.

The teen knew this was true, but even so, it wasn't going to make him feel better. Logically, he knew she was right. Emotionally was another story, however. Hinata suggested, "Maybe talking about it will help." biting her lip. "Why don't you tell us about what happened with Tobi?"

Sasuke looked nervous, but seeing the inquiring and non-judgemental looks he swallowed his pride. Maybe talking it out would help. It was better than having to do it to one of the more experienced adults. Even if he knew they wouldn't call him weak for his fears, that wouldn't stop his own mind from thinking they thought poorly of him. He much preferred talking to his siblings who were just as new to being a ninja as he was.

"Well, I went to go ask Itachi to be my mentor. He said no and that I should ask one of our elder classmates. Kisame agreed with him because he said it was harder than they thought it would be when they took Neji on." his lips pressed into a tight frown, "I was jealous and a bit angry, but I was going to get over it. Then Tobi came into my room."

He noticed a suspicious look cross Neji's face but continued. "He was different. He wasn't being an idiot. His back was straight, his head was high, he was analyzing me with his eyes-" he clenched his fists into the dirt below him. "His voice was so off. It was deep. He was- he was cooing at me and saying it was his responsibility to watch over the baby of the clan." clenching his jaw at the thought.

"I told him he didn't care much for the clan when he killed them with Itachi, but he just said that they were the past. That we were the future. Well, that Itachi and he were, anyway. He said I wasn't being raised to be strong enough with them. He said they would always have to protect me and that in turn, I would father the children. That's the only way I'll ever be useful to the clan in Itachi's eyes. He said Itachi would never trust me to be a strong ninja because I always obey him." his curving into a further scowl. "He said if I disobeyed Itachi it would make Itachi see me as a real ninja. I...I asked for him to mentor me." the guilt clear.

Hinata spoke in an accusing tone, "Tobi tricked you into asking for his help!" seeing Sasuke's confused look, she explained, "He knew you were hurting from being told no. I'd bet he did it on purpose to get you to mentor with him. He probably wants you to be closer to him. But why?" she looked baffled.

Karin suggested, "Maybe it has something to do with what he said about the clan's future? It sounds like he was focusing on it a lot." that being her best guess. She shook her head back and forth, "So now Itachi's and your argument at breakfast before you left made sense. He must not have known that you were being manipulated."

Sasuke shook his head back and forth, "He told me not to trust Tobi long before this happened. I should have listened."

He felt a hand on his shoulder and noticed Naruto looking at him seriously. "It isn't your fault. It's Tobi who did something wrong." looking upset by the idea that the masked man had been seemingly lying to them this entire time.

Sasuke nodded hesitantly, not believing him, so he continued. "He said rule one was that I wasn't allowed to repeat the lessons or missions to anyone-" freezing up a bit at that point.

The teen was surprised as he felt Neji scoot closer to him, the older teen wrapping a loose arm around his shoulders. Sasuke was slowly getting more used to Neji's affectionate moves, but it was still unnerving. "It's alright. Sasuke, it was your mission too. Not just his. You can tell anyone you want to. They're your experiences just as much as they are his."

"But what if he's mad at me when he gets out of the prison?" he grumbled, face in his knees in an attempt to hide his embarrassment. He was wearing his basic blue shirt and shorts. The shirt had the Akatsuki symbol on its front and the Uchiha on his back. It was a mix of their birthplace and their home, ones they only wore within the village. It was as if the Akatsuki members were saying 'these are our kids, don't fucking touch them'. Of course, this underlying meaning had only come to the kids years after they began wearing them. Now, however, the short and open style of the Uchiha only made him feel vulnerable.

Karin frowned at him. "Sasuke, everyone's mad at him for what he did. He doesn't even seem guilty. I'm starting to doubt he'll be let out of prison at all." her words short and to the point. "It doesn't matter if he's mad. He had no right to be after what he did."

Sasuke gave in finally, though still not fully sure. "The second rule was not to question him. He said he knew better than I did because of my inexperience. He said I might be allowed to contribute to the conversation when I got more experienced, but until then my opinion didn't matter."

Neji looked annoyed, "That's completely wrong of him. When I was with Kisame, he always let me contribute because we are the future of this village. To shut your voice down simply because of your age is unacceptable. Multiple viewpoints are a good thing. Proceed."

Once he was given the clear and took a moment to think about what Neji said, he carried on to the last rule. "The third and final rule was that I shouldn't expect any hand-holding or happy-go-lucky Tobi. He said dropping the act was a form of trust and that I had better repay it." finally letting in and leaning on Neji a bit.

He felt Neji hold onto him, Hinata lightly resting her hand over his. "That was probably his way of increasing the manipulation on you. He was making you feel guilty for what he did." the blue-haired girl frowned.

Sasuke clenched his eyes briefly in regret. "I'm such a fucking idiot. I should have seen it coming."

"You had no way to know you'd have to be on guard against our family." Gaara tried to comfort him, Sasuke quickly looking twice as guilty.

He licked his lip a bit, not sure if they knew yet. "He took me to the sand village to assist in assassinating-" He gulped down his momentary panic, "An important member of the village-"

"Sasuke, we heard about the Kazekage being killed. You need to be honest." Neji spoke firmly but lightly. The others watched as guilt covered Sasuke's face, looking at Gaara with wide eyes.

The teen spoke a bit desperately in apology, his words mushing together on accident but barely understandable. "I didn't want to- but Tobi said if we didn't then he would come for Gaara. He said he'd take the tailed beast and Gaara with it- I'm sorry-"

His rambling was cut short as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Gaara, looking mildly sad but not hurt as Sasuke had worried. "Sasuke, he's just my biological father. He tried to have me killed time and time again. He holds no meaning to me. Nagato is my father."

Sasuke looked at him, unsure, but wanting to be honest as Neji had told him to be. "Tobi killed him while I knocked out the guards. I was almost done when Temari showed up."

It was only then that Sasuke noticed a slight look of worry cross Gaara's face. Sasuke knew that over the years Gaara had learned to understand that his siblings were brainwashed to be scared of him from the Kazekage from Sasori's points on what he had heard. Hence why Sasuke hadn't wanted to kill them. "I slipped and called her by name. She asked how I knew and I screwed up again by calling you my brother in front of her. She said I shouldn't mock her and her father by bringing you up. She attacked, and that's when Kankuro showed up. He attacked with his puppets."

Sasuke could tell that Gaara was nervous as well as feel the eyes of all the others on him, so he quickly mentioned their lives to hopefully calm them down. "I was evading them finely and told them I didn't want to kill them. Tobi came up and said they had to be killed since I had mentioned to you. Tobi moved to kill them but I latched onto his sleeve. I got carried away with trying to get him to stop and it caught the other guard's attention. He said my punishment for disobeying him would be dealing with the guards. He left. I couldn't take them all on- it was just too many." he growled.

What he wasn't expecting was for Gaara's face to warp into even more pain. "You got captured...protecting Temari and Kankuro? For me?" seeming to pale at the thought. "I'm sorry, Sasuke. I didn't- you-" looking conflicted. His comfort came as Sasuke reached up one of his shaking hands, taking hold on Gaara's. Though Sasuke was miserable, he knew Gaara wasn't the one to blame.

"The guards knocked me out and I woke up in a room. I was tied to a chair, next to a window. There was blood everywhere, and I guess I must have panicked. I know it was idiotic, but I started screaming. Looking back, I have no idea what I might have been hoping to accomplish." he admitted. "Kankuro was pretty pissed off to wake up to it. He came in and started grabbing my hair. Temari was the one who stopped him."

One disadvantage of having such a good memory was remembering every little moment of pain. Not that he could exactly change it. "She knew I was part of the kidnapped kids because I had activated my Sharingan on reflex. She asked how I knew you." looking a bit unsure of his choice now. "I admitted that the same person that took you also took me since that's what had been assumed by the villages for so long. I told her that you were happy and safe so that she wouldn't worry but...she wanted more details."

Naruto frowned at this, tilting his head, "What kind of details?"

"She wanted to know why I wasn't telling them other information on the ones who took us. They asked if they had us bugged, saying that they could rescue us. I think they're under the impression that we don't want to be here. I tried to explain but they wouldn't listen. They just kept cutting me. Through the stomach, over the arms, across the legs." clenching his eyes a bit to rub absent-mindedly at the threads covering the slices along his lips. "She just kept cutting and cutting. Just when she stopped he started hitting me. I could feel how much they were hurting." thinking of how terrible it must have been for them to find out their father was dead and the only one with information on their baby brother was refusing to talk.

He felt Neji lightly rubbing his hand up and down his arm, the raven-haired boy only then realizing he had drifted off a bit too far into his mind. He pressed on despite his heavy discomfort, finding that it did help a bit to talk things out. "I escaped by manipulating one of the guards into coming closer then headbutted him. I got his key off him and made a run for it. I probably couldn't have gotten out if I hadn't specialized in stealth." he admitted.

"I ran off in the direction I thought was home. I figured I just had to get home and everything would be alright. I had to stop after a few hours though because I was still injured and needed food." biting his lip a bit. "I stole some thread, a needle, honey, a tomato, and some meat. I went to the woods to- to take care of the wounds."

Naruto tilted his head, asking bluntly, "How did you take care of them? You don't know much medical ninjutsu. Karin and Hinata are the only ones here who know much about it." he laughed.

Sasuke couldn't help but smile a bit at his point. It was true, he hadn't known what he was doing at all. "Speaking of which, this whole thing made me realize how idiotic it is that only you two know medical ninjutsu." glancing at the two girls. "Do you think once everything calms down, you'd be willing to teach me how to use at least a bit in case of emergencies?"

Both seemed surprised at the request since Sasuke rarely cared to learn skills outside his main focus. Hinata nodded, Karin following right after. "Karin can show you medical herbs and medicines while I show you chakra healing." the blue-haired girl suggested.

Sasuke nodded, Karin smiling, "Maybe it would be a good idea for you all to try? Who knows if you'll ever need it while away on a solo mission when we get older?" the others seemed content with this, liking the idea.

Naruto pouted a bit, "You didn't answer my question, though. How did you take care of it if you can't use much medical ninjutsu?" Sasuke grimacing a bit as he had hoped he had evaded the question.

"I took the strings from the shirt I stole and threaded the needle. I gagged myself with the shirt to keep my screaming quiet while I used the needle to sew up my arm. It hurt a lot, but at least I got to eat the tomato and meat when I was done. I cooked it on fire. I guess I was so delirious from the hunger and bloodloss that I didn't think about the smoke. It was probably what got me caught." he sighed.

Neji guessed, "By a leaf ninja, I'm assuming?"

The Uchiha nodded, "The one we brought back as a prisoner, actually. He snuck up behind me and grabbed me. Ended up dragging me back to the leaf village since he was suspicious of someone wandering hurt in the woods right after a huge attack on the kages." he looked mildly embarrassed. "I woke up in the Konoha hospital. I was tied to the bed. The nurse said they did it so I didn't hurt myself in my hysterics, but I doubt it. It was clear they were suspicious of me."

"The nurse started shoving oatmeal down my throat, asking if the ones who hurt the kages had hurt me. I was petty pissed for obvious reasons, but I got over it. I didn't want to look even more suspicious. She asked where I lived so I told her it was in the forest between Konoha and Suna. They didn't believe me so I got stuck with the leaf ninja. His name is Kakashi. He was put in charge of keeping me under lock and key in his house."

Naruto asked curiously, "Kakashi? Isn't he that guy you used to tell me was dangerous when we were little? You said he was going to kill us if we got close to him." looking confused at the idea. "I heard you got Kisame not to kill him in the woods. If he's dangerous, why?"

Sasuke frowned a bit. "I thought he would at the time because he was friends with Itachi. From what I can tell, he had no idea my brother was a spy for the village." the kids frowning a bit at this. They had only learned of Itachi's motived a few days ago, so it was still a shaky subject. "It was weird but he seemed so...nice. He fed me, let me roam around, was constantly joking. I didn't trust it since I knew that was too dangerous, but eventually, I told him that I knew I was a suspect. He took me out into the village because I told him it would be a good way to lure in my back-up so the leaf could get revenge for their Hokage. He didn't seem to like the idea but he followed his orders. It was like he wanted to be on my side. He got into an argument with Danzo as I was being pulled away. I couldn't see much since they knocked me out but he was siding with me." he smiled a bit.

Gaara put his hand to his chin, looking conflicted. "That's strange. Why would he side with you over his village? Maybe he felt tied to you because you were Itachi's little brother?" he suggested. "But why did he go after Naruto when you were little then?"

Sasuke's eyes seemed to widen, remembering. "I forgot- I also saw a picture when I was snooping around the house. It was of Kakashi with a few others. It looked like a team. There was Kakashi, and Uchiha boy, and a brown-haired girl. Overtop of them all was this guy. He looked just like Naruto, I guess he must have been Kakashi's sensei. It was the fourth Hokage. Maybe Naruto reminded him of his old sensei somehow?"

Neji nodded, about to agree when he saw a hesitant look on Naruto's face. Neji glanced over at the young blonde as he began to speak. "There's something I never told you guys. I didn't think it mattered since we were all one new family." shifting a bit. "When we first got here, Kisame told me who my birth father was. It was the fourth Hokage. His name was Minato. So that must mean-"

"Kakashi knew not only Itachi but also Minato. It must be why he was trying so hard to be with us." Sasuke realized. "Maybe he missed his old teammates." though they had no way to be sure.

Karin suggested, "We could always ask him the next time we're allowed down there." figuring they would go down to see Tobi or Itachi soon anyway.

Hinata nodded, agreeing, but glancing over at Sasuke with a questioning look. "But Suna was only responsible for the cuts and bruises, then? Does that mean Konoha did everything else?" looking hesitant but asking, "How did they do it? I couldn't imagine." clearly concerned as she eyed his ever-growing frown.

"Konoha...was a lot rougher than Suna. Probably because they had actual torture masters instead of two teenagers letting off steam." grimacing at the thought. "I was tied up in a room. They blindfolded me, which made it ten times worse." he took a light breath, looking down a bit.

"The main guy came in and started by hovering over me. He was practically breathing in my ear." the thought sent shivers down his spine. "He was talking about how scared I looked. Something along the lines of my biological dad would be ashamed. Talking bad about him."

Sasuke looked irked but carried on. "I was an idiot. I heard him snap something but I got distracted when some other guy started talking about how I was probably already broken from Suna's torture so there was no point in doubling it up." he screwed his eyes close, "The main guy said that since I was showing fear it was obvious I wasn't fully broken. I had completely forgotten about the snapping noise. He used it on my side first." nibbling his lip. "It was flat but thin. Small, but long. I think it was some sort of whip or strap. I had no idea at the time though, it just hurt. It was aching, but not in the normal way. It was like the ache was vibrating into my skin. I can't even explain it."

The teen was looking down at his hands, eyes tired and stress filled. "He started rotating between my hips, but not in a predictable way. I had no idea where they were coming from. It was like my sides were on fire then iced over. He was hitting all over now. On my back hurt, but it was the worst on my stomach. I felt like I was going to throw up. Then Danzo started laughing at me- like he was having the time of his life-" his words coming out in long breaths, holding back the urge to cry in frustration.

He felt Neji softly rubbing his arm, Gaara doing the same to his hand. Sasuke lightly held back onto Gaara, biting his lip to try clearing his eyes. "I glared at him, but then i felt something on my upper back. Right between my shoulder blades where the main guy had whipped me. It felt warm over the dull ache. It was his hand, but he moved it away and replaced it with fire. It felt so good, but it ended up just being my mind playing tricks on me. He didn't even move it around to spread it. It just stayed in the one spot, burning. Spirits, it burned so bad."

"I couldn't handle it anymore. I yelled at him to stop, and he did. He said they'd kill me quickly if I just handed over information on you all. He was rubbing my hair and being all gentle. It was so confusing- it was wrong- but everything hurt. It felt nice for the pain to be replaced with petting, but I couldn't let him get any information. I told him no and he put the flame back." hiding his reddening face on Neji's shoulder.

Neji didn't seem to mind, all the other children's heart nearly stopping at the pitiful state Sasuke was in. After all, Sasuke was prideful. He was their icon of endurance. It was painful to see him so defeated. "It was on my ankles- spirits- I could feel it melting. It hurt so bad. I don't even know what happened next. I blacked out for a few seconds, then the next thing I know, the other guy is checking my mind for information."

Guilt was written on his face, but that was nothing new. "I tried to think back to what Seiketsu-Sensei said to do in the situation but that made the other guy report what he saw to the main guy. So I switched my thoughts to my biological dad. I was thinking of his appearance and what I knew about him. The other guy was disappointed and said I wasn't doing anything useful. That was when he- he-"

Sasuke was clenching his jaw, harder than was probably healthy. He clenched his hold on Gaara's hand, "The main guy grabbed onto my jaw and made me look at him. He pulled my tongue out between his fingers. He said I didn't need to have it if they had his partner to peer into my mind." now shaking violently. "It hurt so much it became numb. There was blood everywhere. It hurt so much-"

He could feel hands wiping lightly at his face, and it was only then that he realized he was full-on crying. He felt humiliation run through him as he glanced up at Hinata, the one lightly drying his tears. He hated this--he hated how weak he was. He grumbled bitterly, head down as Hinata wiped off the final tears. "I was even scared when mom came to untie me. I was flailing like a damn child."

Sasuke rubbed at his eyes as Hinata pulled away, the two orbs itching heavily. "I know it was only Tobi who left me, but it feels like anytime someone will pull off a cover. I lived with Tobi for years without knowing he could be serious. How am I supposed to know if anyone else is only pretending? Now Itachi's been a spy too. I know he loves me but he was still able to hide it so easily. What else is there that I don't know about the others? What if they're lying too? I thought Konoha was my home years ago but they were quick to forget about me and put me on the cutting board when I got back." his knees now brought up to his chest. "Now I'm stuck here with people I don't know if I can trust, it feels like I can't trust anyone."

He was blurting it out now, revealing the hidden mistrust he had held for others ever since the massacre. This whole event had only increased it. "Not to mention my body has been torn to shreds." hands moving to cover the stitch marks covering his arms as though to hide them. "I've always been paranoid, but it's like it's overflowing. My lack of trust is disgusting after everything they've done for me. Now I have a nasty body to match how I act. I'm terrible."

He felt something drop over his shoulders and glanced up slightly to see Neji looking shaken. He realized it was Neji's typical long-sleeved Hyuuga style overcoat dropped over his shoulders, the older teen sliding it on him as he spoke. "You aren't ugly Sasuke. Not inside nor out. You protected us all by staying quiet. You're selfless and strong. Then if we're talking about the outside, you have your beautiful midnight hair. Your gorgeous pale skin. Soulful eyes. You're god damn amazing and we love you, Sasuke. You have a right to be wary, but know that we will never betray you. You're our brother." the elder finishing buttoning up the front for Sasuke so that he would feel more comfortable.

Now the only issue was how to help Sasuke get past this doubt. The questions popped into Neji's head. Did he tell one of the adults? Did they work as a sibling unit to help him? Did he do it alone incase he overwhelmed Sasuke? Neji had no idea, but he would have to decide soon. This much was clear as he looked over at the nervous shame-filled younger boy.


	33. Rational Fear

As the kids headed back, Neji had an arm resting over Sasuke's slightly lowered shoulders. Gaara stood beside Sasuke, holding his opposite hand gently. The girls were behind them while Naruto lead the way. The blonde wanted to help his brother. He truely did. He just wasn't ever any good at comforting. He wasn't a comforting friend. He was the friend you called when you need help dumping a body.

When they reached the back porch, just before they went in, Sasuke gripped Gaara's hand a bit harder and halted a bit. The others gave him a questioning look, the raven looking away a bit. "Don't tell mom or the others. I've had more than enough of their pity," he grumbled. Neji nodded in understanding, the others following soon after. They headed inside to find Sasori finishing up his puppet and Deidara cursing out loud at the stovetop.

Sasori glanced up at them, quirking a brow, Gaara only shrugging a bit as he held onto Sasuke's hand. It only took a moment for Sasuke to realize, his cheeks going a deep red, pulling his hand away from the red-haired ninja. Gaara didn't seem to take offense, the younger heading over to sit beside Sasori and watch him.

Naruto headed over to babble with Deidara while he cooked, the two blondes being close despite their constant bickering. Neji glanced over at Sasuke and Hinata, suggesting, "Why don't us three practice learning some herbal medicine from Karin while we wait for dinner? It'll be relaxing." figuring it would be best to start with the easier of the two medical practices.

Hinata and Sasuke nodded, Karin, noting, "I'll go get the herbs from my room." the redhead being gone in a flash.

Sasuke, Neji, and Hinata made quick work of gathering around the half of the table that Sasori wasn't using. Karin came down soon enough, holding bunches of different herbs. She sat in front of them, beginning to explain. "There are lots of different herbs in the world, but they can usually be placed in a box with others based on their main purposes. It's best to know the main purposes before learning how to mix them. This way you'll have at least a basic understanding of it in case of emergencies."

As she explained, Kakuzu headed in alongside Hidan. It looked like they were back from their mission. Hidan happily headed up to his room, buzzing with pride due to his latest sacrifices to his lord. Kakuzu sat down between Sasori and the group of children, moody as ever. He worked on sewing up his arm while occasionally listening in on the kid's conversation.

"The main types of herbs are numbing, enhancing, healing, poison, cleaning, and wrapping," Karin explained, showing a plant from each. "The numbing helps with lowering the pain or poison's effect. The enhancing usually help either improve natural abilities such as healing or increase the use of poison. The healing is pretty self-explanatory, it helps quicken recovery time. Poison, of course, does the opposite, slowing recovery time and messing with the natural balancing in your body to make you ill. Cleansing herbs are mostly used to disinfect the wound before you apply others. You'd normally clean it, then put on one of the others, followed by a wrapping herb. The wrapping herbs are thick but flexible, usually used to keep the others in place."

Gaara was listening in on the lesson, only half paying attention to Sasori now. Not that the older ninja was saying anything anyway. Naruto, on the other hand, wasn't paying the least bit of attention. He was too busy arguing with Deidara. "That's not what dad said! Dad said-" he blabbered on, the older blond growing annoyed.

Deidara lightly waved the spatula at the boy, cheeks puffing up in annoyance. "I don't care what Nagato said. He isn't my father, so what he saids doesn't matter to me-" he bickered. It was a pretty common occurrence, the two bickering and fighting. No one thought anything of it. Even as Deidara began chasing around the younger in warning, it was no big deal. He'd probably forget about the food and burn dinner by accident. It happened all the time.

The only difference this time was Sasuke's reaction to the sudden fire burning on the stove. The teen stiffened as the fire rose quickly, only a few feet away. His lesson forgotten, Sasuke bounded out of the chair and towards his bedroom. He could hear his siblings yelp at his sudden movement since normally he would only roll his eyes. He could also hear Sasori sending scoldings at Deidara, but he ignored this. He quickly entered his room, nearly slamming the door behind him.

He took a few steps back, heading over to his bathroom and shutting himself in. He headed over to the window, sitting down beside it. He gently rubbed the back of his neck, where the largest burn mark beside his ankles was clear. He took deep breaths, but it felt like none of them were going through. It was like he was breathing in, but no air was entering his lungs. His hands moved from the back of his neck to the front, gripping it tightly.

Sasuke knew he was panicking, but he had no idea what else to do. He couldn't breathe, why couldn't he breathe!? It was just a little fire, he reasoned. He needed to calm down. Despite this, he couldn't force himself to no matter how much he tried. He heard a grunt from somewhere and glanced up to see Hidan standing over him, still bloodied synth in hand. It looked like he had just been in the middle of one of his rituals. Sasuke's breathing only deepened as he eyed the bloodied blade, his hands finally lowering from his throat only to grip at his sewn up legs.

He felt like he was loosing even more air now, his mouth hanging open and snapping closed occasionally. He gripped his legs tightly, eyes widened and Sharingan flaring. Hidan knelt in front of Sasuke, lifting his chin with furrowed brows. Sasuke felt his vision blur a bit, trying to jerk away from the other but unable to. "Hey, hey. Calm the hell down. What's with all the damn running through the halls and slamming doors?"

Sasuke could only let out large breaths, wheezing as he looked over at the elder ninja. He wanted to answer, but no words left his mouth as no air entered his lungs. Hidan moved to open his mouth once more but was interrupted as Kakuzu entered in a rush. Sasuke shrank back at the sudden movements, Kakuzu slowing as he noticed the panicked state the younger was in. "Hidan, back up," he spoke gruffly, squatting down beside them.

The teen buried his head in his knees, trying to hide from the view of the two elders. He felt Kakuzu resting both his large hands on his shoulder, making him freeze up for a moment. Kakuzu lightly rubbed at his shoulders, speaking as gently as his naturally grumpy voice would allow. "Take a deep breath in and hold it for three seconds."

Sasuke hicked on the first few tries but slowly was able to inhale and hold it. "Now let it out, slowly."

When he did, the breath came out shaky and full of shivers, completely unfocused. "Now take another deep breath in. Hold it for three seconds."

Sasuke did as he was told, slowly feeling his lungs fill with air once more. He could hear Hidan's praising from beside him, "Fucking fantastic. You're doing fucking great." reflexively following the next step and slowly letting it out. This breath was much smoother, not nearly as strangled as the previous. "Good, good. You breathin' now?" Hidan asked. Sasuke nodded a bit as he repeated the steps, slowly returning his breathing to normal.

The raven-haired boy reflexively side-eyed the synth but quickly returned his gaze to a grinning Hidan and relieved Kakuzu. Hidan must have noticed his side-glance at the weapon as he set it out of the room, closing the door behind them to block the view. Hidan moved from his kneeling position to lean against the wall with Sasuke while Kakuzu moved to sit cross-legged in front of them. Hidan asked, "What was all this about, anyway? You're a tough kid, you wouldn't be running like hell for no reason."

Sasuke shrank back a bit, looking embarrassed. He bit his lip, finally admitting after a moment, "Deidara lit the food on fire."

"So? That's nothing new?" Hidan quirked a brow. Sasuke felt his shame intensify. He knew it was the truth, but at least Hidan didn't seem to be judging him for his reaction. He seemed genuinely confused more than anything.

Kakuzu sent his partner a warning look at his blockhead attitude, glancing over at Sasuke. "I'm guessing it's because of the injuries on your ankles and neck, right?" eyeing the way the teen was subconsciously grabbing at his ankles.

Hidan had a look of realization, Sasuke hiding his face further into his knees. "Mhm.," he muttered, wishing he was anywhere but there at the moment. He heard Hidan give a heavy sigh, the older man running his fingers through his grey hair.

The Jashin worshipper gave a stretch in his spot, hands behind his head as he looked up boredly. "Shit happens. It's natural to be freaked out after your first big incident. Happens to everyone." he shrugged. Seeing Sasuke's doubtful look, Hidan quirked a brow back at him. "What, you think I wasn't nervous the first time I impaled myself?" lightly elbowing him.

Sasuke flustered a bit, "No, I-" his excuse being cut off as he saw Hidan get closer to his face, the man smirking.

"Oh, you didn't? You assumed I was unsure? Thought I was nervous to do it? You're right, but damn that's cold." the silver-haired man smirked in the younger's face.

The teen scooted back a bit, "Don't put words in my mouth, you ass-" his words being cut off once more as he felt Hidan yank him closer and into a nuggie, locking his head under his arm.

He squirmed as he heard Hidan's clearly amused voice, "Assume things then call me an ass, I ought to tell your mother about such disrespect."

Sasuke reached up to hit against Hidan's arm, squirming under his hold and as far away from the nuggie as possible. "You bastard! You're the one who started it! It's you're fault!" he growled, but his hair being as puffy and messy as it was now only made him look like an angry poodle. The barely hidden smile on his lips didn't help either.

Hidan finally calmed down a bit but kept the boy snuggly under his arm. "Idiot child, thinking he's too good to be scared sometimes." the man tsked.

Kakuzu reached out to pinch at Sasuke's hip, the teen giving a whine and scowl at the older. "Little brat, thinking you're all grown up. As if you weren't just running into Itachi and Kisame's room for nightmare comfort not too long ago."

Sasuke blushed a bit at that, scowling, "I haven't done that for years, jerk." his ears tinting red at the thought.

Hidan mockingly pinched at Sasuke's cheeks as he spoke, "No, you haven't, but that doesn't change the fact you're still only fourteen." lightly tapping his cheek between each word as if to punctuate it. "You. Are. Allowed. To. Be. Scared." he worded out slowly. "Everyone. Starts. Somewhere." finally releasing the boy's cheek as he finished, Sasuke rubbing at it with a scowl and blush. Idiot zombie duo, making him feel better. Dumb bastards.


	34. You Are Your Father's Son

About three days later, the kids were finally left unsupervised with the exception of a sleeping Kisame. The shark ninja hadn't been doing much since his partner had been locked up. Sasuke took the lack of supervision as his chance. He headed over to Naruto's room, peeking his head in. He could see Naruto on his bed, doodling as per usual in his old sketch pad Sasori had given him years ago.

"Oi, dobe. Let's go." Sasuke spoke with a renewed sense of authority, trying to get back into the swing of things.

On one hand, Naruto was glad he was feeling better. On the other, he hated that Sasuke felt the need to be so rude. Oh well, it was just the way his brother was, he supposed. "Tch, where exactly are we going, teme?"

Sasuke crossed his arms at the blonde, tilting his head back a bit towards the doorframe. "Let's go visit Itachi and Tobi. I have things I need to talk with them about and I'm sure you're missing Tobi. I know how much you love him."

"Well, yeah, I do really miss him, but after what you said is it really a good idea to be around him? What if he tricks us again. Besides, it's pretty obvious he doesn't love us as much as we thought." glancing down a bit at the thought.

The raven-haired teen nudged his friend. It was strange seeing him sad, but everyone got upset at times he supposed. "We don't know that. There are two sides to every story. Maybe he had a reason to do what he did?"

"You're right. We can at least hear him out." Naruto agreed, lightly smacking his palms against his face as if to hype himself. He smiled, "Yeah, let's go see them. I'm surprised mom and dad are letting us go already though. I thought they'd make us wait at least another week."

A small shrug left Sasuke's shoulder as he spoke. "Well, they actually haven't given us permission, but it shouldn't be too hard to get in. Dad's away on a big mission and everyone else it pretty busy. Kisame's the only one home and he's asleep. Since the others are gone, for now, dad probably left the key with Kisame rather than in his office. We just have to sneak into his room and get it without him noticing."

Naruto smirked at the other, setting his things to the side to join him as they made their way down the hallway. "We better not get caught then. I'm not really in the mood for one of Kisame's ear-fulls." Sasuke nodding grimly along with him. Both Kisame and Itachi had different ways of lecturing them, but both left them just as tired and defeated. They'd definitely avoid either of their lectures if given the chance.

They soon arrived at Itachi and Kisame's door, Naruto peeking in to check on him. The shark ninja was laying on his bed, just as still as they had last seen him. Naruto quietly headed in, Sasuke following right after. The two glanced around, looking for the key's location. Sasuke found it rather quickly. It was half under the pillow Kisame was sleeping on.

Sasuke grimaced at the placing, but Naruto moved boldly to grab at it. He was only stopped when he felt Sasuke grab his wrist and pull him back, the dark-haired boy sending him death glares. Naruto sent one right back, only stopping when Sasuke waved his hand in a 'get back' motion.

The raven-haired boy slowly moved forward, crouching down in front of Kisame to try and make a move for the key. Naruto stood behind him looking mildly annoyed but watching his partner in crime's movements. Sasuke took a deep breath, steadying his hands as he reached for the key. In one slow and smooth motion, he got it, clenching it to his chest in relief.

He glanced back at the blond, moving his hand in a 'hurry' motion as they slowly but quickly inched towards the door. They didn't need to get caught red-handed. They luckily got out pretty easily, Sasuke letting out a loud breath as he shut the door behind him. Naruto did the same, the younger boy grimacing, "That killed me. I thought he was going to wake up at any minute and take a grab at us." the blond whined with a grin, hand on his chest.

Sasuke had to admit, he shared the same nerves as he moved. He was sure Kisame was going to reach up and grab his wrist at any moment. The shark ninja always had loved scaring them a bit too much in Sasuke's opinion.

"Tch, let's just go. We don't want to waste time. He could wake up any minute now and drag us back." Sasuke warned, taking the blond's hand and leading him towards the staircase to go downstairs. Soon after, they headed off to the prison.

It was pretty easy to make their way to the prison. It wasn't like the villagers knew what had happened. Even the few who did weren't idiotic enough to go questioning the Akatsuki's children when they were out and about. It wasn't like Nagato would react well to his kids being questioned or harrassed if it turns out they were allowed to be out. Though, it was strange for the two boys to be out when one had clearly been hurt recently.

They entered the prison, easily passing by the many guards. Naruto did so with pride, clearly amused at how easy he could get past them, while Sasuke rolled his eyes at the blond's idiocy. They occasionally would hear a surprise guard and have to hide, but it was pretty easy considering who had raised them.

The only real issue was finding them. They had only been in the prison a few times before. It wasn't like it was a spot children would normally like to play around in. It took them some time, but eventually, they found the strong area. It was the most secure area, but more so from the inside than the out.

Once they got in, they were greeted with a somewhat sad sight. Itachi sat against the wall, knees against his chest with his head on his knees. His blindfold was back on, the older teen seemingly sleeping in the sitting up position.

Beside him was Kakashi, the man resting on his back. He was awake, the ninja looking up at the top of the prison with a tired look in his eyes. His view drifted to the kids as they entered, offering a smile despite their clear discomfort.

Tobi was sitting with his back to the others, facing the wall with his arms crossed. He was awake but sulking.

Naruto was about to move for Tobi first when he noticed Sasuke taking hold of his sleeve. He glanced back behind him to see what the matter was and he noticed Sasuke's gaze. The silver-haired man was motioning them over, though they were unsure whether to come forward or not.

Sasuke's choice was made for him as Naruto headed over, the older boy not wanting Naruto to be over there alone with him. Sasuke placed himself between Naruto and the man, looking him over suspiciously. Kakashi smiled at them as if he hadn't a care in the world. "Hello, boys. I'm surprised you're down here without any supervision. Come to visit Itachi, I'm guessing?"

Naruto nodded, "Mhm! Itachi and Tobi both. We want to talk to them. We're worried. We don't want them down here longer than needed. We want mom and dad to forgive them soon so we're trying to figure out-" his words being cut off as Sasuke swatted Naruto over the head.

"Dobe, shut up. Don't talk to people you've never met." he scolded, sending the younger warning looks. Naruto glared back at Sasuke, opening his mouth to argue back when they heard a light chuckle.

They turned their heads to see the Jonin chuckling to himself, both turning their glares onto him now. "You really are your fathers' sons. You both bicker just as bad as they used to." Kakashi mused. He noticed easily the way Sasuke's face seemed to harden and Naruto's seemed to brighten up.

"You knew my father?" he asked with interest. He had long got over his obsessive want to get to know the man, but he still was curious. Who wouldn't be?

Kakashi nodded, "He was my sensei when I was a genin. He was also in a quite well-known rivalry with Sasuke's dad, Fugaku." musing a bit at the thought. "How interesting that you two would end up together even without knowing of their friendship."

Sasuke gave a bitter agreeing nod. How interesting indeed. He didn't feel comfortable with the other man, but he had helped him quite a lot in the past few days. That had to account for something, even if he wasn't quite ready to be accepting new people to trust yet. "You were talking with Itachi the other day," he spoke flatly. "You better not be fucking with him. He's going to get out of here soon. He didn't do anything wrong."

Kakashi frowned a bit at this. It was sad, seeing how it was almost like he was trying to convince himself. "I know. I've just been chatting with him. He's as excited about you as ever." he mused. "You'd better wake him up soon if you're on a time limit. He's been worrying himself to death over you all week."


	35. Truth

Sasuke headed over to where Itachi was sleeping, using the key to unlock the door. Naruto was beside him, the two entering the caged area with a frown. They didn't like the idea that one of their caretakers was being held in such a barbaric way. Sasuke and Naruto both squatted down, moving to sit with legs crossed. It didn't look like Itachi had woken up yet.

Naruto tilted his head at the older Uchiha, not used to seeing him in such a position. Sasuke reached over to remove the blind-fold once more, disliking it for obvious reasons. His movement was finally enough to catch Itachi's attention. The elder Uchiha's eyes opened slowly, glancing up at his younger brother. Itachi pressed his lips together into a slight frown. "Nagato said it'd be a few more days before you were allowed to visit," he noted. "You aren't still injured, are you?"

Sasuke shook his head back and forth at that. "No, don't worry. I'm mostly healed up now." he smiled, pointing to his tongue. "Kakuzu and Karin made it so I can talk again. My voice is just kinda different now." though he knew the difference in his vocals was obvious. "We aren't supposed to be down here, but we stole the key from Kisame and came to visit. We're worried about you."

Itachi gave the younger an amused look, tugging him forward and into a half hug. "It's good that you can talk now, but you don't have to be worried about me. You should be focusing on recovery." he chided lightly. He glanced at Naruto, "Neither of you should worry yourself with this."

"We probably should stay out of it." Sasuke admitted, "But we won't." a light smile lacing his lips.

Naruto nodded, a huge grin splitting across his face. "Yeah! We're going to get you out of here sooner. We just gotta convince mom and dad that you weren't going to hurt any of us on purpose. We know you'd never try and get us killed. You're too much of a mother hen for that."

Itachi gave a light 'tch' at the blond's joke, shaking his head back and forth. "With children like you, mother henning is the only way you'll survive. You're all reckless," he noted.

Naruto pouted a bit at that, Sasuke only rolling his eyes in annoyance. "Either way, we want you out sooner rather than later. We talked it out and we figure if you tell us the truth and we tell mom and dad we talked to you, they'll hear you out if we're clear enough that we don't think you did anything wrong. They won't listen if we just say it without even knowing more than the basics of what you're being accused of."

The eldest Uchiha gave a light nod, sighing a bit as he sat up and stretched as best he could. "You're both such troublesome children." he sighed, "If you insist, I suppose it couldn't hurt. I'll tell you both everything on the condition that you go straight back home after you finish your business here. Sasuke still needs to rest and I don't imagine Kisame will like you two stealing from him."

Itachi added as a second thought, "I'm only telling you this for two reasons. One, I trust you both not to tell anyone should you be captured. This Sasuke incident has helped me realize that you all aren't the toddlers playing in the sandbox anymore." he sighed. "And two, I don't think I want to side with the main village anymore. Not after all they've done."

The two nodded, sitting down in front of Itachi with a look of agreement. As Itachi began, Sasuke took a breath. "Back in the village, back when you two were still living there, I had been a spy." he sighed. "This was before the clan massacre. I was in the ANBU, a part of the village ninja force. I used this position to keep tabs on both the village and the clan." the older Uchiha sighing a bit. "The village didn't trust the clan and the clan didn't trust the village."

Itachi focused on Sasuke and Naruto, feeling Kakashi's gaze on him. "The clan leader had me give him classified information on the village. The Hokage and elders had me give classified information on the clan. It hearted up their distrust in each other as they heard the secrets that were being kept. Both of them. I only continued because if I cut off one of them it would only fuel their distrust in me and the opposite side. I kept it up for a while. I kept it up until our clan created a coup."

"A coup?" Sasuke asked in both surprise and horror. He had known his clan wasn't on the best terms with the village, but to try to take over completely?

Itachi nodded with a frown. "I told the village in hopes of both halves being able to sit down and have a civil conversation. They told me to focus on keeping the coup held back as long as possible. Shisui and I both were put in charge of this. I tried to convince my father against fighting the village, but he wouldn't listen. Shisui was going to force them to stop using a genjutsu, but an elder stole one of his eyes."

Sasuke noticed the way Itachi's voice quieted and frowned. "Cousin Shisui was part of it too?" his elder brother never really being open to discussing Shisui even after he began opening up a bit with Sasuke about the details of the massacre. It seemed like it was a sore topic for Itachi.

"He was. Unfortunately, the elder, Danzo, didn't believe our plan would work. He claimed it was only delaying the inevitable. So he stole Shisui's eye before we even got the chance to try a peaceful tactic." he looked pained as he spoke of his poor cousin's fate. "I arrived just in time to save his second eye, but Shisui realized something from the whole experience."

Itachi had a griefing look, sighing a bit. "Shisui realized that Danzo would be back for his eye. He couldn't perform the genjutsu with just one eye, so he made a sacrifice. He fell from the cliff next to the river, killing himself. He did this to awaken my mangekyo Sharingan. He knew that with the new power, I would be able to serve the village and clan much better."

Naruto frowned at this, clenching his fist against his pant's leg. He was growing to hate Konoha more and more each day, it seemed. How could they do that to one of the only two people who wanted to help?

"Once he was gone, Danzo summoned me. He gave me a choice. Side with my clan and let war break out." he frowned at the memory. "Or join the leaf and take down my clan. I agreed to kill the clan since Danzo said he said I would be allowed to spare Sasuke. The only condition was that I couldn't tell him why I had killed everyone or he would turn against the village." lightly moving to hold Sasuke's hand as he saw his little brother tremble with grief. "I know it hurts, but you can't attack the leaf or allow yourself to become set on vengeance. Understand?"

The teen nodded, hesitantly moving in to rest under Itachi's shoulder. Pride be damned, he needed the comfort. "I approached Tobi about wanting help killing our clan. He agreed, even offering me a spot in the Akatsuki. He went after the children and civilians. I just, couldn't stomach the idea of harming them. I went up against the police force and other shinobi." he decided not to go into detail concerning the special cases such as their mother, who he had felt he needed to end himself.

Naruto looked down a bit, feeling a bit out of place as Itachi spoke of something so personal. His outsider view was shattered however as Itachi tugged him over and under his arm, into a light half hug. It was identical to how he was holding Sasuke. "I headed for the Akatsuki after that. The plan was to be a spy until Sasuke grew old enough to avenge our clan. The only issue was Konan." he smiled thinly.

"She wanted a child of her own. I guess it stems from her and Nagato being orphaned too. They wanted to just get Sasuke, but a few other brats felt the need to tag along." Itachi teased, forehead leaning against Naruto's, the boy's cheeks tinting red but grinning at that. "So instead of one, we got five, and later a sixth. Our own little Akatsuki angels."

Sasuke blushed a bit at that, playfully punching Itachi's arm. "Don't be weird about it, nii-san."

Itachi chuckled a bit at his younger brother's shyness, shaking his head back and forth. "Anyway, we brought you all home. It was like a train wreck occurred. No one could get any work done because they were too busy loving on you all." he mused. "I continued sending the reports for a while, just to make sure they didn't immediately realize I stopped around the time you went missing. I timed it so it would seem I stopped because you were all missing. I haven't sent any updates to the village since then. So it's been, what, eight? Seven? Years since then."

Naruto and Sasuke both leaned on the elder, Naruto mentioning, "I think they'll let you out soon. No, I know they will. They could never lock you up too long. Because you're their family just as much as you say we are." the blond grinned happily, Sasuke smirking with a nod. Itachi would be out in no time.


	36. Maladaptation

Tobi snorted a bit at the children's positivity. He earned himself a glare from not only the kids and Itachi but Kakashi as well. Tobi didn't know what this guy could hold against him, but he didn't particularly care. "As if it's that easy. You brats might get special treatment because you're the 'Akatsuki angels'" using the phrase as an insult now rather than the sweet way Itachi had. "But Itachi will get no such treatment. He's been a burden to the organization for longer than any of you realize. This will be the perfect excuse to have him removed." he spoke with a bit of smugness.

Sasuke and Naruto both felt a wave of confusion wash over them, Itachi giving the older Uchiha a harsh glare. "Tobi, shut up."

"Oh, yes, you haven't told them yet. You kiddos want to hear about Itachi's big bad secret?"

By now Itachi was openly angered, eyes narrowed as he lightly moved forwards in his restrictions. "Tobi! I swear to fucking Indra himself if you tell them-" his Sharingan blazing weakly due to his restricted chakra. "They aren't ready to know! They just got back and Sasuke is still injured! For once, stay quiet." he bit out.

Tobi smirked, speaking in a full and serious voice, "You all know Itachi is sick, but not the full extent." he smirked from under his mask. "Itachi Uchiha is not only suffering from an illness, but he's also dying from one. Itachi Uchiha will die at the maximum age of thirty-five. His death will be slow and agonizing as he continues to spew up his own blood every morning. He will continue to barely be able to hold up his arm because pain shoots through it every time it does. He'll slowly cripple until he's completely useless. It's only progressing faster due to his obsessive worrying over his brats rather than himself-"

His words were cut off by a strong punch to the face. The youngest Uchiha in the room had wasted no time in unlocking the doors, charging over to his eldest clansmen. He practically threw himself at the elder ninja, ignoring the fact that this had been one of the many ninjas who had raised him over the years, instead letting out an almost primal scream as he attacked.

Sasuke lept onto the man's lap, grabbing his face and hitting him as hard as he could. The teen could feel Tobi reach up to grab for his wrists, but the chains kept him restricted enough that Sasuke easily ripped his wrists away. Instead, he was able to turn the defense around, hands roughly grabbing at the masked ninja's arms. Sasuke growled, "Shut the hell up! Itachi's sickness is his to talk about when he wants to! It's not for you to decide when we learn about it!"

He was sick of Tobi. Sick of him so clearly playing pretend. Sasuke had tried to lie to himself and say maybe Tobi wasn't at fault, but it was no use. Tobi killed his clan. Tobi manipulated him into betraying Itachi's advice. Tobi left him for dead. Tobi was the reason he was nearly beat into a coma by the villages on multiple occasions. Even after it was all said and done he had the nerve to not feel a shred of guilt. To top it all off, he even began insulting Itachi to his face! Sasuke didn't know what it was that had come over him, but he was done.

He remained squarely on the elder's lap, feet kicking out to strike both of Tobi's wrists. There was a small crunch from each of them, but Sasuke didn't particularly care. At least now his hands were out of the way. "Keep your damn hands to yourself!" the teen barked, ignoring Naruto as the blond did his best to pull Sasuke off Tobi.

A new wave of rage washed over Sasuke as he looked at the mask, Tobi's one eye glaring harshly at the teen. "Get off of me, you idiotic little speck." the man demanded, Sasuke reaching up to rip the mask from his face. Tobi's mask seemed to finally shatter. He no longer looked overly playful or dangerously serious, no, now there was only a look of baffled fear as his mask was ripped off.

"I might be a speck but at least I don't hide behind a damn mask!" he growled, tossing the orange mask to the side and reaching his elbow up. He sent it down on Tobi's newly revealed face, ignoring the obvious scarring. Sasuke repeated this, not able to hold himself back as he heard the yells from not only Naruto but now Itachi and Kakashi as well.

"Sasuke!" Itachi spoke in a demanding yet pleading voice. "Get off of Tobi, now! Sasuke, don't let him provoke you!" the man practically begged, his sudden pleas getting cut off as he broke into a coughing fit. Naruto's eyes widened as he looked over his shoulder and saw Itachi kneeling over, the blond looking conflicted between staying with Sasuke or going for Itachi. Finally, he made his choice.

The blond ran out of the room as he heard Sasuke's elbow make a sickening crack as it met with Tobi's skull, swallowing down his tears. The blond ran as fast as he could for the nearby hide-out, knowing even the jonin of their village might have trouble with pulling Sasuke off Tobi. The teen had run into the house screaming bloody murder, hoping it would be fast enough to end the fight. The state Sasuke was in, well, Naruto had never seen it before. It was like he was looking to kill Tobi. As strong as Naruto was, there was no way he could stop Sasuke in that crazed state. "Mom! Dad! Kisame!" he called for anyone who might be in the house, knowing a few would be back from their missions by now.

He was met with the rushed responses of Kisame, Sasori, Hidan, and Konan. The latter ordered Naruto to stay inside with everyone else as the blond panicked. "Sasuke's trying to kill Tobi! He's going to kill him, mom! I can't get him off him!"

Naruto stayed put, but only once Neji grabbed his arm and forced him to sit down on the couch. The other Akatsuki members rushed off to see what was happening, but by the time they arrived, a large amount of damage had already been done.

Sasuke was on top of Tobi, the teen now shoving his fingers into the elder man's eye sockets as he yelled, "I hate you! All you've ever done is manipulate us! I fucking hate you!" hitting the man's head against the wall in pure anger. They could see the tears pouring out of the teen's eyes, the boy clearly in pain.

Kisame quickly moved to aid Itachi, who was now kelt over with bits of blood running down his cheek from all the yelling. Sasori pulled up his puppets to keep Kakashi where he was. He didn't want the man who, strangely enough, was in a hell frozen shock to take this as a good time to run. Konan looked frozen for a moment as she watched her son brawl against Tobi in such a crazed state. Hidan suggested, "We could just let him finish the fucker off. It might be good for him to cope." shrugging a bit as he held his scythe just in case.

Konan sent him a dirty look, "No. Tobi's a bastard but he helped raise Sasuke. It'll scar him more than he already has." the woman moving over to pull Sasuke off Tobi with the help of Hidan, who moved to do so only with a huff of annoyance.

Meanwhile, Sasuke growled as he was pulled off the now motionless shinobi. His eyes were bleeding a bright red, though it wasn't his typical Sharingan. His three tomoe now drew together into one design, his mangekyo Sharingan activating as he let out his anger onto the man whom he had been partly raised by.

Sasuke felt warmth surrounding him as he glared daggers at the motionless man, only stopping as he felt the warmth tighten around him. He still shook with anger, eyeing the man, but no longer running away as he felt the familiar embrace of his mother. He could hear her distant shushing, the woman wrapping one arm so her hand was resting firmly on his back while the other pressed his head to her shoulder. He felt her lightly rubbing his hair, his anger slowly melting away.

He let out a sob, but not one of pain. For the first time in what seemed like forever, it was one of relief. A smile laced his lips, which he hid in Konan's robes as he felt her comforting him. It was over. Tobi was dead, and he was happy. He wouldn't be like Tobi. He would be honest with himself and others, he decided. He'd never been one to lay claim to a ninja way before, but he easily decided right then and there that it would be his. He would never allow himself to be wrapped in lies. It never seemed to get anyone he'd ever known anywhere. As such, he wasn't ashamed or guilty as he laughed lightly in relief, holding onto his mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last time I posted this on another website, people seemed to have issues believing Tobi was dead. I'm going to say it now. He is dead. The cuffs had power restraints on them, as mentioned in previous chapters. He could not escape. Sorry to any Tobi fans.


	37. The Talk

Sasuke sat on the couch beside Itachi, Kisame on his brother's other side. Gaara was sitting at the dining room table. He was assisting Sasori with his puppets and talking about his internship as per usual. Meanwhile, Neji rested on the floor, head on Kisame's lap. The shark ninja was lightly patting the drowsy teen's head, the ninjas surprisingly content after the horrors of the day prior. Hinata was in a similar position, sitting beside Neji with her head on Itachi's lap.

The five ninjas sat in silence, happy with each other's company and the small chattering of the redheads in the background. Nagato and Konan had finally given into the children's pleas of releasing Itachi for the time being, more so to ensure Sasuke's sanity than anything. It didn't seem like having Itachi locked up had weighted too well on his mind, and the other children had seemed similarly upset. They didn't trust Itachi, but they couldn't risk hurting the kids any more than they had in the last few weeks. The compromise was Itachi being put under house arrest.

Itachi was unable to leave the hideout until they trusted him to be alone and was to be under the watchful eye of Kisame. A few worried that Kisame's status as Itachi's lover could lead to issues, but then, Kisame never was the type to lie. It wasn't like they could leave Deidara or Hidan on the job. Spirits know that would end badly.

His chakra had been restricted to the bare minimum, leaving him with mainly just his Sharingan and taijutsu. They were sure that was more than enough for Itachi to handle himself, though. Especially given the now eldest living Uchiha's particular skill set. If push came to shove and he had to fight, they were sure it would be fine. Besides, it wasn't like there were any real threats in the village.

Still, for Itachi, he couldn't help but feel a bit discouraged at his lack of chakra. While he didn't need it, the energy was a part of him. To feel the tug chakra-restricting fabric on his wrists and see Kisame constantly glancing over at him was frustrating. It was as though he was being treated like a child who couldn't behave.

Itachi sighed quietly at the thought, running his fingers through Hinata's slowly lengthening hair. He felt one of Kisame's hands squeeze his shoulders, the shark ninja disliking the situation just as much. Now he was forced to go on missions alone, which wasn't all that bad, but it was still rather lonely. Even with Itachi never really talking, at least the other listened to his constant chatter. Now there was no one to listen to him without it seeming odd. It was strange, but Kisame missed his partner a lot more than he would have thought.

Sasuke mentioned, "I like your old captain. Kakashi's pretty friendly from what I've seen." not lifting his head from Itachi's shoulder as he spoke. He heard Itachi muse at that and quirked a brow. "What's so funny?"

"It's ironic, hearing you so open about liking him. You never really cared for him, even when you were little. The tantrums you would throw every time he came to pick me up for a mission were enough proof for me to know that. Then according to poor Kakashi, you ran away every time he came near and even guarded Naruto against him." the elder teen mused a bit, lightly hugging Sasuke with his open arm.

He noticed the teen glare at Neji as the Hyuuga snickered a bit, Sasuke lightly flashing his Sharingan at the other in a warning. Neji's Byakugan snapped on soon after, the teens falling into one of their silent arguments once more. Itachi rested a hand on Sasuke's head, Kisame doing the same for Neji. Kisame mused, "Yes, yes, you're both strong. No need to start your silent bickering, brats." he scolded

They snapped their kekki genkai off, the teens glancing off to the side in annoyance. Sasuke grumbled, "I was just saying I liked his company. He's nice to be around when he isn't reading those nasty books." the teen's face scrunching up a bit at the thought.

Neji tilted his head a bit, "I didn't see any books with him. What was so nasty about them? Too gory for your taste?" imagining some sort of violent manga. Though, that would be strange since Sasuke never seemed to have an issue with gore before.

Sasuke's face went red, the teen looking down at his lap. Suddenly, Neji's went a similar color, though the elder ninja was unable to hold back his own laughter at the younger's expense. "Oh-! Oh-! It was one of those."

Neji, unlike Sasuke, knew very well about the theme of the books due to his Byakugan. He and Hinata had occasionally woken in the middle of the night and wound up using their Byakugans. Him out of nervousness from a strange noise and her out of fear of being alone. They would occasionally end up roaming the halls when they heard strange noises and, well, there are things no ten-year-old wants nor should have to see. Unfortunately, with a kekki genkai that can see through walls, there's no helping it.

After a few too many times of passing Itachi and Kisame's rooms, it would have to be explained to them by someone. Hinata had at first thought they were only roughhousing, so when the trust was revealed, she had book horrified, to say the least. Neji had taken it better, though he could never look at his mentor the same way again.

Hinata nuzzled her face into Itachi's lap, the teen now about ready to pass out of embarrassment. She did not need to be hearing this conversation. It wasn't knowledge she enjoyed having, not one bit.

The two byakugan users had been given 'the talk' early on, Hinata by Konan and Neji by Kisame. It was, to say the least, unpleasant at the time. Neji would have never guessed that Sasuke hadn't learned about it by now. He was fourteen, after all.

As if reading the Hyuuga's thoughts, Itachi and Kisame both sent him a scolding look that had him forcing his laughter into a cough. Sasuke was flustered as could be, the teen suddenly finding his wrist very interesting to look over. Spirits, how did Hinata learn about it before him!? He knew the basic concept from some elder classmates, namely Yoi and Shu. The elder boys seemed to enjoy flustering the younger students with joking flirting, but Sasuke only ever understood half of it since their sensei often put a quick stop to it.

Sasuke shrunk down as Kisame lightly nudged Itachi. The shark ninja spoke with an awkward tint, "Ah, we can, go to our room if you two need to talk. I can't let you out of my sight but it'll be more private than the livingroom-"

The youngest Uchiha went an even brighter shade, quickly moving to stand. "I don't need anything explained. Just- just leave me alone." moving to head out and towards his bedroom. He was only stopped as he felt a hand grab the back of his shirt.

He glanced around to see Itachi had stood up, Neji and Hinata moving out of the way so Kisame could do the same. Sasuke felt a wave of embarrassment, "You assholes! Fuck off! I know all I need to-!" more embarrassed by Neji's amused expression than anything. Idiot Hyuuga, he was going to tear that supportive bastard to shreds-!

Sasuke grunted as Itachi pulled him towards the bedroom, Gaara glancing at him with a pitying look. Gaara's look turned to one of pure dread as he noticed Sasori studying him a bit too close. Oh, hell no. Why did Kakashi have to expose Sasuke to those nasty books? That silver-haired bastard had doomed them all!

Sasori opened his mouth to speak, Gaara sending him glares as sand rose around him. "Don't even think about it. I'll move back to the sand village."

The older redhead quirked a brow, "You don't mean that. It's far too extreme for you." he challenged, rising to his feet and lightly hooking his arm under the younger red-heads shoulder. He could see the pout on Gaara but set it to the side. He doubted Konan was ready for grandchildren this early.

"This is idiotic! I don't even like most people! I'm gay, for hell's sake!" he tried to reason, his pleas falling on deaf ears as they made their way towards Sasori and Deidara's room.

Naruto rolled his eyes from where he was cooking ramen in the kitchen. "Idiot, that didn't work for me either. Just accept it, dattebayo." the blonde rubbed the back of his head.

Karin nodded from her spot on the counter, the girl organizing medical herbs and not paying any of them much attention. "You'll survive, walk it off," she commented as she lifted a herb up to sniff it.

Nagato had brought this up during one of their little meetups when Naruto had spoken about how pretty Kicho was. Both Uzumaki's were fairly uncomfortable, but it was a necessary evil.

One it seemed neither Sasuke nor Gaara were able to escape once it was brought up, judging by the way the two were being hulled to their rooms.


	38. Credit

Later on in the night, once dinner rolled around, everyone sat at the table. Sasuke and Gaara were both mildly disturbed, the other siblings noticed. Life went on, though not without a few not so elegant jabs at the conversation from Naruto. He sat beside Sasuke, lightly elbowing him with a grin split across his face. "So, anyone you'd want to try it with? Maybe Yoi would let you practice with him." wiggling his eyebrows in a joking way.

This was easily put to a stop as Sasuke reached over, easily smacking the other square in the jaw with his elbow. Sasuke's eyebrow twitched a bit, the teen clearly not amused. "Shut up, dobe. I don't want to hear another fucking word from you."

Karin took a piece of her chicken, plopping it in her mouth with a hum, "Poor choice of words."

Gaara and Hinata nearly choked on the food in their mouths, both sending Karin dirty looks for her musings. Neji shook his head back and forth at them, "I'm trying to eat if you haven't noticed." sending the younger children scolding looks despite having earlier poked fun at them too. He'd rather not think about that while he's eating-- it would cause nothing but problems for all involved.

Sasori nodded as he spoke, "Yes, let's not talk dirty while we're trying to eat." he hummed, noticing Konan and Itachi's defeated looks as they listened in on the kids.

The teens seemed half relieved and half annoyed at their conversation being shut down. An uncomfortable silence followed. Since Konan and Itachi had banned any talk of work from the table while they ate, there wasn't a whole lot to talk about.

Normally, it would be Tobi, Deidara, or Naruto to bring up a new topic. Unfortunately, One was dead and the other two were a bit conflicted at the feeling of Tobi's death. They had been doing their best to stay busy, but they couldn't help stealing glances at Sasuke occasionally when lost in thought. Tobi was truely dead by Sasuke's hands. He was a low life who had only recently shown his colors, but he had lived with them for years. To not hear him screaming happily about something in the background was unsettling.

Sasuke finally broke the silence, lightly picking at his half-eaten dinner. "What gets fed in the prisons?" not having thought about it before.

Clearly, this wasn't something Konan was prepared for Sasuke to ask as she lightly rubbed the back of her neck, Nagato being the one to answer with an unsure voice. "If I remember correctly, last I checked, it was a bowl of soup every week and some bread each night."

Sasuke frowned at this, Itachi asking, "Is something wrong, little brother?" the elder Uchiha scanning over Sasuke's thin frame in hopes of pinpointing what could have made him think of such a thing. He noticed the guilty look that was laid across Sasuke's face and frowned a bit. Perhaps he was feeling guilty over the prisoners' situation now that he had faced it himself? Though, the people locked up in their prison all deserved it for the most part as far as Itachi knew.

"When I was living with- er- under Kakashi's guard- he was really generous about his food. He cooked us a big meal to share every night. He's probably not used to so little food." the gears in Sasuke's mind turning. "He was more pale than usual yesterday, too. He's probably hungry."

Kisame spoke with a tired and confused voice, "Yes, Sasuke, that's the entire point. Keeping the prisoners hungry keeps them weak and is cheaper. It's the best thing to do. It isn't as though they're our guests. They're lucky to be alive." he noted, taking a piece of food into his mouth as he spoke.

Sasuke seemed to pout a bit at this, leaning his head on his palm. "Kakashi kept me fed and taken care of. He even let me roam free around his house and backyard. He didn't have to do any of that. He could have locked me up in a closet for all the village seemed to care. He's a good person. Doesn't that count for anything?"

Hidan tore a piece of meat off the bone of his food, waving the bone around lightly as he chewed. "The world doesn't reward good people, we all know that well enough."

"Why not?" Sasuke scowled a bit as he felt all eyes fall on him. He crossed his arms a bit, grumbling, "He was good to me so I should be good back. It's not like someone is putting a kunai to my neck and telling me that I have to be his enemy. He's done nothing but be kind to me. I have no reason to spit in his face."

Itachi made a small motion with his hands, the other's attention being taken in by this. "It might not mean too much, coming from me, but I think Sasuke makes a good point. He did all but let us take him prisoner, plus he's shown no hostility towards the kids."

Kisame nodded in agreement, deciding he should probably support the idea since Itachi's words alone wouldn't hold much weight to them. "That's true. He's treated the brats pretty good so far."

Sasori narrowed his eyes, "I don't trust him. He's too happy in his situation. I suppose he could just be staying positive, but he could always have other goals."

"Yeah, just look at Tobi! We thought we could trust him with the kids. We left him home with them. We had him bringing them to school. We knew him for years, yet we couldn't trust him." Deidara nodded, sending Sasuke a hard look. "It's too soon to trust him. You've only known him for a few weeks."

While Sasuke knew this wasn't true, he felt like mentioning that the silver-haired ninja was Itachi's old partner and that the man had been his self chosen enemy since day one was a bad idea.

The teen puffed up one of his cheeks as he looked at Konan with one of his signature pout-glares. "I'm not an idiot. I'm not saying I trust him. I'm just saying maybe give credit where credit is due. I just want to at least give him something better than that nasty prison food. Please?"

The blue-haired woman sighed heavily. Damn her children's strangely pure souls. "Fine. It's fine with me." Nagato allowing a nod from beside her. "Just finish your own dinner first."

TKTKTKTKTKKTTKKTTKKTKTTKKTTKKTKTKTKTKTKTKKTK

About an hour later, Sasuke was headed over to the prison with a box of leftovers from dinner. He got a few looks from the villagers since normally their curfew was two or so hours ago, but he didn't mind. He felt a strange nervousness and happiness at the thought of seeing Kakashi again.

He didn't know why, but the man seemed to let off such a calm aura. It was the same one Itachi had always given Sasuke-- calm, but with a hint of strength that let everyone near them feel either safe or in extreme danger. Knowing he was locked up and didn't seem to have harmful intent, Sasuke wasn't too scared of the elder ninja.

Sasuke headed into the prison, making his way to the back where he knew the other was. It was strange, being in a prison. It gave him mixed feelings. Half of him shot to the memory of the torture rooms. The other half shot to the police station he would sometimes visit with his mother to deliver his father food when he was young. It was a double-edged sword, really.

As he entered the room, all these thoughts seemed to float away. He headed over to Kakashi, sitting down in front of the bars. Getting a good look at the man, he seemed to look rather sick. He was pale with his body hunched against the back wall of the prison. Even so, Sasuke was startled to see the man give him a weak smile as he entered. "Yo." the man greeted, friendly as ever.

Sasuke parted his lips a bit, barely about to make out an awkward "Hey." he saw the ninja force himself up into a straighter position, "I-" he started, unsure what to say. He hadn't thought about it up until this point, really. He settled for sliding the food box in through the small opening in the bars meant for serving food. "I brought you some food. Bread probably isn't enough to hold you over with how much you seem to eat. You look sickly." scrunching up his nose a bit at the sick smell of the man once he got closer.

Kakashi gave Sasuke an even brighter smile, the man taking the food without hesitation and beginning to neatly eat. He turned to the side to hide his face. "Why, thank you, Sasuke. It seems your not as rude as you seem." thinking back to the little tyrant that seemed to walk through his house as though he had owned it and not been a prisoner.

"Tch, whatever. I just had to bring you food because you're too old to be going without food for long." he excused his actions, crossing his arms with a scoff.

Kakashi sent the boy a mildly annoyed look, though the smile still remained. "I'm not that old, you know. I'm only twenty-eight." he scolded, ignoring his situation easily.

The Uchiha crossed his arms with an unamused look. "That's still old. You're almost thirty. The average life of a ninja is at the latest forty. You're over sixty-five percent done with your life."

Giving a light pout, Kakashi pointed out, "You're not very nice."

"Well, you're not very mature." Sasuke bickered back lightly. The two continued on, enjoying each other's company much more now that Sasuke wasn't technically Kakashi's prisoner. Kakashi didn't mind being on Sasuke's turf, it seemed.

Neither noticed the hovering ninja just outside the doorway. Itachi kept his eyes trained on his little brother, Kisame standing with him, arms wrapped around the ravenette's waist. Kisame had his head resting on the tired Uchiha, eyeing Sasuke along with him. "I'll keep an eye on him," Kisame promised. "You should go see what Nagato wanted to talk with you about. He said as soon as possible. It's probably best not to keep him waiting."

Itachi nodded a bit, sighing lightly as he pried himself away from the warmth of the shark ninja. "I suppose so. Keep an eye on them. I'll meet you back in the bedroom once we're done speaking."

He received a nod, and he was off to go see what Nagato wanted to speak about. Though, he had to admit, he had a pretty good idea already.


	39. Please

Itachi sat in Nagato and Konan's room. He was on the floor in front of Nagato's chair, Konan standing beside the red-head. Itachi sat on his knees, head bent down to avoid the icy yet pained looks on both Nagato and Konan's faces.

Of all the terrible scenarios in which he had imagined himself being exposed, he had never thought he would feel guilty for hurting Nagato and Konan. Or the rest of the Akatsuki, for that matter. But then, he supposed he never expected them to be so hurt by it. Seeing the brief pained, angry, and sad glances he received from the rest of the Akatsuki had changed his outlook on his mission completely. He felt like the lowest scum, yet did not allow himself to falter. These were S-Rank criminals, not his family, he forced himself to remember.

His family was the village. Or, he had thought they were. Now he knew very well that the village never intended to see him nor the other outcast children as part of the village. They were merely pawns. He knew this all along, yet, to see and feel the betrayal in real-time was much harsher than he could have ever imagined.

At least the Akatsuki had been honest about using him as a pawn. At least they had never sugar-coated it with 'the will of fire' or 'curse of hatred' labels. They were simply 'members'. No more and no less. Itachi felt like such a child for growing so attached to them. Especially when he knew it could have easily become his mission to kill them all. Just like it had been his mission to kill his clan all those years ago. Why did the village have to make him kill everything he loves? Why did he have to grow so attached to his targets? Why was he such a pitiful pawn?

"Itachi. Calm down." he was snapped out of his thoughts and brought slamming back into reality. He loosened his death-grip on his pants, unscrewing his eyes which had been clenched almost painfully. He felt a hand on his back and realized that he had been hyperventilating. He did his best to even out his breathing, doing it rather quickly due to his practice with being stoic. "We need to discuss the...spying."

He could hear it in Nagato's voice-- he wasn't enjoying this conversation any more than Itachi was. Itachi stayed quiet, unsure of what to say or where to start. He was normally a flawless liar, but for some reason, he found himself without any excuses. All he had was the truth. He didn't know how well that would go over with his leaders. "We want the truth. Even if it's simply that you're only here for your village, we want a reason to go along with why you'd agree to such a thing. Why did they send you of all people? You were-- you were barely into your teen years when you joined us. You've always seemed too timid and kind when you thought no one was watching. Why is our organization's information worth not only your life but the rest of your clan's as well? All of them, just to get you into the Akatsuki? Tell us everything."

Konan had returned to standing beside Nagato, Itachi now left alone on his knees in front of them. He didn't know why, but he felt as though all his lies evaporated in front of the two elder ninja. "The reason I was chosen for this mission goes back to before I was even born." His throat was painfully dry as he spoke. "It all started with the founders of the village. Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha. They built the village together, yet Madara was hated while Hashirama was praised by not only the Senju but the Uchiha as well. This made Madara angry, resulting in a clash between him and Hashirama. This made the villagers weary of the Uchiha, expecting any one of them to be the next to betray them."

"This created the idea that all Uchiha are backstabbers. It created hate towards the Uchiha, which my clan easily threw back at the village. The hate for my clan increased more and more every day. It only worsened once Hashirama's younger brother took over as Hokage. He put the Uchiha in charge of the police force, leading to the citizens hating us even more. Tobirama's weariness was passed on to his students, Hiruzen and Danzo. By this point, well, there was no stopping the idea that Uchiha Clan was to be watched closely. So many people hated us...just for being alive." his eyes once more downcast.

"The Uchiha were angry at the mistreatment. We wanted to be seen as people, not just a group of cruel ninja who happened to all but double the village's strength. So the leader, my father, made a plan." he could feel the shame and pain burning within him-- if only there had been a better way. "The Uchiha planned to start a coup. It had been in the works for years but I only found out when I was six and graduated from the academy."

Konan interrupted him, "Six? But you don't even enter until you're six. Most kids are barely able to write out a full sentence at that age!" clearly baffled at the idea that he had graduated so young.

Itachi nodded a bit, having got the same reaction many times. "I know. I graduated the same year I entered the academy due to me always being first in all my classes. The teachers saw me use the clone jutsu when I got into a fight, so they brought it up with my parents. Since that's one of the main requirements to pass and join a genin squad-"

Nagato raised a finger, interrupting him with an unsure look as if wondering if Itachi was lying to them. "You got into fights? But you're so-- what's the word-- timid? Meek? Shy?"

"Introverted." Itachi murmured. "It wasn't by choice. I normally got into fights when I was either protecting my idiot classmates from the elder kids or the elder kids came to get revenge on me for beating them in a fight. I didn't normally fight back, I usually just dodged everything." he shrugged a bit, easily thinking back to the boys who had thrown rocks at him. It seemed too distant-- so ironic that those same boys were either dead or lived in fear of him.

Nagato and Konan had to admit-- knowing Itachi-- they had never imagined him the type to face bullying in his younger years. Itachi gave them no time to comment as he moved on past the uncomfortable topic. "So, I was a genin at six, learning of the coup against the village. My father and the other clan ninja swore me in as a spy into the village since I was the most trusted by the village. They trusted me because they thought I had the will of fire."

"I stayed as a genin for four years. I became a chuunin at age ten. During those four years, I served as a spy for my clan into the village. Giving them information and future plans. I suppose I was pretty early to the spy work, so it was something I was good at from an early age." he breathed out. "I hated spying." though he spoke that more to himself than them, he knew they'd heard him.

His fist clenched slightly, not quite ready to speak of his beloved Shisui, but knowing it would be necessary soon. Perhaps he could make them understand why he'd done it all. "Once I turned eleven, I was put in the ANBU under Kakashi Hatake. He was my captain."

"Kakashi- the one in the prison?" Konan asked as if unsure it was possible for them to be the same person. After all, Itachi had barely mentioned him before!

"Mhm. He was my captain back then. We were pretty close before I was given my mission. That's probably why Sasuke seems to trust him so much-- he probably remembers him from back then, even if he doesn't remember him well. Perhaps a subconscious thing. I can't be sure. None the less, it was when I joined the ANBU that I was given orders to spy on the Uchiha clan. Orders I carried through." he admitted.

Nagato quirked a brow, clearly finding the idea interesting. "So they placed you as a double agent on both accounts. That's smart but incredibly cruel. Were they not worried you'd betray them for the other?"

A shake of Itachi's head quickly disproved this. "My clan trusted me as their heir and the village trusted me as one of the best ninja prodigies. Neither side thought we'd betray them." momentarily lost in thought as he thought back to all the work he and Shisui had done to protect the village and clan.

"You say 'we'. So there were others in the same situation?" Nagato inquired to the wilting younger ninja.

A hesitant nod came from Itachi, the shinobi clenching his teeth to avoid falling into another hyperventilation. "S...Sort of. My elder cousin, Shisui, was involved too. He was in the ANBU too, spying in on the clan. Our clan never forced him to spy on the village, though. I suppose they didn't trust such a sweet and kind ninja to be able to do the dirty work. So they set me as the main connection to the village. They didn't expect the heir to the clan to put it in danger. We were working together with the village. We didn't want a war to break out over senseless hatred. We'd both grown up during the war. We'd both seen and lived through it. We didn't want that for the next generation. We wanted them to live free of the war's burden."

"You'd of been no older than four or five during the third war. How could you even remember such a thing? Nagato and I grew up during war filled times, yet we barely remember anything from before we were seven or so." Konan questioned, never really having thought about the fact that Itachi and Deidara were both young enough that they would have been children during those wars.

"I wish I had forgotten." Itachi gritted out. "I wish I could forget. Your first kill isn't something you tend to forget easily, though." he smiled bitterly. "My father was one of the main fighters. He wanted me to see what it was like so I'd never be careless with my life. So he had me watch from atop a cliff while the fighting went on. Slicing, blasting, tearing, crying, yelling. I remember it well. I went down to look them over, shocked at how cruel it was that so many had to die. Someone cried out for water and I gave it to them despite them being an enemy. In turn, they tried to stab me, so I had to end them first."

Itachi explained, biting back the urge for his eyes to water, "Pointless fighting...pointless deaths...all of it could be avoided if wars were stopped preemptively. So that's what Shisui and I wanted to do. We wanted to stop a war by stopping the Uchiha and village from fighting. Shisui was going to use his Sharingan to force the Uchiha to calm down and pull back. But Danzo, fucking Danzo." allowing a curse to pass his lips for the first time in an eternity. He had grown to hate that man, even if he tried to hold himself back.

"He stole Shisui's eye. I barely arrived in time to rescue him. When I did, Shisui told me. He said I was the only hope left for our clan and village. He entrusted me with the fate of both, giving me his remaining Sharingan. He said I had to do whatever it took to defeat Danzo. Whatever it took to ensure the safety of the village. Whatever it took to protect the clan. Whatever it took to stop a war from breaking out. Then he was...he...the cliff..." head downcast in shame to the point his forehead was touching the floor. "He was gone. He killed himself and left the rest to me."

Moving his hand up a bit, Itachi wiped at the slowly building tears of frustration. "Then the police force had the nerve to hint at the idea that I was the one to kill him. I guess they thought I was jealous or something of the sort. As if I would harm Shisui over such a petty idea. Besides, I could never defeat him. He was far above me when it came to our skills." he hissed, as though he were in physical pain from the thought.

"So you killed them out of anger of being blamed then came here to make up for your mistake in the eyes of the village?" Konan suggested. She frowned a bit as Itachi shook his head.

The younger ninja looked beyond tired now. "No. I delt with the blame. The reason I had to end the clan was that the coup was being rushed with Shisui's death. The village wasn't willing to wait anymore and I couldn't go shoving blame onto an elder. Danzo gave me the choice-- side with the Uchiha and fight against the village or side with the village and end the Uchiha clan. He said Sasuke could be left alive on the condition that I killed the clan and ended the coup. They didn't want him to be against a leaf ninja because it would cause him to later seek vengeance on the village. So I had to be the one. If I had joined my clan not only would civil war break out, other countries would take it as a chance to attack while the leaf was weak."

His face was twisted into a pained scowl. "I sought out Tobi because I sensed him within the village. He was hiding so I knew he was a missing-nin. I requested that he help kill off the clan. He agreed. Once it was all over, he offered to let me join the Akatsuki. I agreed since I didn't have anywhere else to go. Danzo's orders were to run as far away as I could and hide until Sasuke came to kill me. The plan was changed so that I would watch the Akatsuki from the inside and provide information from afar while I waited for Sasuke to seek me out and end me. It never got to that...well...for obvious reasons."

A heavy silence filled the air, Nagato finally sighing after a bit. "So we were only a bonus to the destruction of a village threat. You truely only came for a mission. What a fool we've been to allow you to slip through the cracks."

Itachi paled a bit, unsure what they planned to do since it was obvious they wouldn't hurt Sasuke by killing him. "I...I did only come for the mission, but I truely have come to support the organization!" pleading was such a strange act for Itachi's normally noble spirit. "I care for the Akatsuki members! I see Deidara like an aggravating younger sibling- I enjoy my talks with Sasori- I like bickering with Hidan and Kakuzu- Kisame's the one I love almost as much as Sasuke- You're both so incredibly important to me- I love the kids- You all treat me more like family than most of my own did! I stopped sending the leaf reports only a few months after you took the kids in, they barely got any information! I even took the time to slowly remove my support from the leaf as to not draw suspicion to the Akatsuki! Don't take this away from me, please...please. I'll do anything."

Nagato eyed Itachi wearily. They had to do something about him- he had been giving out information- but he did seem truely remorseful and willing to pay them back. Originally, he had considered kicking Itachi from the village or at least from the organization. Now, he wasn't so sure due to one question looming over his mind. "Itachi, you say you were told to join by the village elder. Meaning you were all but forced. Do you even want to be a part of the Akatsuki anymore?"


	40. You're Not A Tool

Itachi gave Nagato and Konan a baffled look as he glanced up at them. Had they not been listening to what he said? He enjoyed being with the other members and helping them with the more pleasant of the village tasks. "What do you- yes, of course, I do. That's what I just said, Nagato-San." his voice edging on confusion and mild aggravation. Why didn't anyone ever listen to him, he mentally sulked at Nagato's apparent ignoring of his words. Here he had thought they were having an actual open conversation, too. So much for trying to show his opinion on things.

The young Uchiha let out a noise of surprise as he felt a hand lightly knock him over the head, knocking him out from his sulkings. His hand lifted to the stricken spot on reflex, looking up to send Nagato a soft glare of bewilderment. What was that for? Was his opinion truely so annoying he was stricken for it? He wasn't prepared to see the look of mild amusement on Nagato's face, however. Why was he amused? Were his pleas for forgiveness that pitiful? "What was that for?" he couldn't help but ask the elder ninja.

"Itachi, I'm not referring to whether or not you enjoy being around the other members. I mean being in the organization itself. Do you enjoy going on missions for us? Do you enjoy taking part in the monthly meetings? Do you want to continue working as a member of the Akatsuki?" Nagato elaborated to the younger Uchiha, who looked a bit baffled by Nagato's question. Oh, so he was paying attention, then. Itachi supposed he hadn't paid enough attention to the question, then. It was worded to be a quick question, though, so he supposed he couldn't be held accountable for Nagato's strange wording.

The raven-haired ninja opened his mouth, shutting it briefly, then opened it again. How the hell was he supposed to answer that, he mentally noted. He didn't enjoy going on missions where he had to kill people just because they were 'getting too nosy' or because they were 'stuck up'. Truth be told, he hated most of his missions. It felt like his heart was being torn out every time he went on a homicide mission. He was a pacifist, for hell's sake! Of course he disliked committing such horrid acts.

Not to mention, the monthly meetings were their own form of torture-- having to sit and talk money and mission reach for hours on end. Missions he didn't agree with morally to begin with! Had he not been trained for years to be a stone-hearted ninja, he would have fallen into rants of rage or discomfort during many of their talks. He did occasionally mutter in his complaints of unnecessary deaths, but they never seemed to be taken into consideration if it didn't help them get more cash or the job done easier.

He disliked nearly everything about the Akatsuki, besides the people involved in it. Having his comrades by his side was one of the few things that made the missions bareable. That was something he had picked up while working under Kakashi, he supposed. Even if he wouldn't admit it as easily as the silver-haired ninja, having his teammates with him made things much easier to manage.

He loved being able to partner up with Kisame and watch his back. He loved knowing that Kisame was strong enough to back him up if needed, too. It was one of the only ways he had stayed sane during the last few years, working as a spy. His connection to the kids and his comrades kept him down to earth.

On the rare occasion he got set on village duty and was left to simply protect the villagers or assist Konan with village issues, he was completely happy. An entire day without having to break any of his morals was like a gag being momentarily removed. It was a breath of fresh air, if he was honest.

A rare breath, though, and in the end, it was always the people he loved working with. Not the actual work. He supposed that was what Nagato and Konan had meant when they asked the question. So they had at least listened to him, then.

Itachi pressed his lips together, eyeing the elder ninja wearily now that he had considered this all. "I enjoy working with the members and villagers. I don't particularly care for the work of the Akatsuki as most of it doesn't fit my moral code. However, I will continue working under you if you wish for me to. I only ask that you not force me away from the kids or other members. I am aware you have no reason to trust me, but I speak the truth when I say my reports ended years ago. I can still be of use to you, if you'll allow me to be. Have me stay in the Akatsuki, have me watch the kids, have me set working somewhere in the village for you. I'll do what is required of me."

After all, if they were willing to listen to what he had to say, that was a good sign. Even his own village and clan had rarely done that. As conflicting as it was, he owed Nagato his loyalty. He owed the Akatsuki his loyalty. "I know I have no room to ask for anything, but I just want to do what it takes to stop the conflict. I thought I was right in choosing the village, but they betrayed me just as I betrayed them. I think it's right to leave the Akatsuki, but I don't know. I could be repeating my mistakes. I don't know where I went wrong. I must have chosen the wrong way for peace. I miscalculated somewhere. No matter how I think of it, it always comes back the same. Maybe my way was wrong. Maybe...you got it right. Maybe your way is what's best for the world, even if it's more unpleasant."

His head was bent down into a bow, making it impossible for him to see the uncomfortable looks on Nagato and Konan's face. He felt so conflicted. The village he loved had just spit in his face. His baby brother was hurt. The other members were hurt by his betrayal. Nothing felt right.

Nagato stood, the older male pacing a bit back and forth now. He sounded tired as he did so, not trying to hide this fact as he spoke. "Itachi. You truely do wish for peace, don't you?" easily able to understand where the younger ninja was coming from as he spoke. He was lost. Unsure where to go now that the idea his dear friend had taught him had at least somewhat failed. Losing Shisui must have been like when they lost Yahiko all those years ago. Nagato had felt the same confliction, it just seemed Itachi had held out longer than him. It seemed the only real difference between Itachi and he was the way they had gone about wanting peace. Despite everything, Itachi was still a pacifist, though Nagato himself had turned to the route of a sadist.

"Yes. I do. I've wanted to stop pointless fighting for a long time. From the very moment I saw my first blood-shed, I knew I wanted it to end." Itachi confessed, eyes closing briefly in a moment of sadness. It seemed that everywhere he went, his loved ones dropped like flies. The only exception to this had been the Akatsuki and the kids so far. He wanted peace-- he wanted them to be safe.

Nagato looked out the window, a moment of silence filling the room. "You have stopped a lot of pointless fighting. You often interfere when one of the members is ready to start a pointless fight. You often act as the peacemaker even within the hideout. Not to mention the war you clearly stopped by sacrificing your clan and happiness. All the while, you were only a teenager." a small frown fitting his lips. "You gave up so much, so early. Your chance to become a man of importance. Your title of a prodigy ninja. Your family. Your home. All for Sasuke and Shisui." he was quiet once more, his mind going in so many directions. No matter which way it went, though, it seemed to fall on the same conclusion. "You truely were a kind child. Shisui would be proud of what you've done."

Itachi froze a bit at the familiar words, his shoulders slumping a bit despite himself. He had followed Shisui's words as best he could, yet people still ended up gone. So many innocent people were ended that night, by his own horrid hands. He told himself he had to press on no matter what, he always had. Seeing the village so eager to hurt Sasuke had him doubting his ways, though.

"Don't look so guilty, Itachi. It doesn't suit you." Konan pipped in, the older ninja moving to sit beside him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. It seemed looking after the kids for so long had increased her maternal instincts. "You did what you felt was right. The entire choice was...rigged. You were groomed by the village and your clan to be a tool. You were only a teenager, one given little chance to do anything but obey. To force you to make such a choice was wrong. You made the best possible choice in a bad situation. You should be proud." the woman lightly rubbing his back, much to Itachi's confliction.

He was twenty-three. He was an adult-- he wasn't supposed to let these things get to him. He wasn't supposed to crumble in front of Konan and Nagato just because they showed the smallest amount of sympathy or comfort. 

Nagato supposed years of mental neglect plus having to spy and take care of children while doing so would do that to one's mental health.

In a rare moment of release, Itachi allowed himself to indulge in Konan's comfort. He rarely accepted it from anyone besides Kisame, but this was different. It wasn't the comfort a lover would give, this hug felt more motherly. Though, he couldn't be sure since his parents had never really been physically affectionate. He leaned into the hug a bit, briefly clenching his eyes.

"You shouldn't have had to make that choice." Nagato finally seemed to of gathered his thoughts. "You're older now. Stronger. Smarter. Child prodigies are still children. I'm not saying you were wrong. I'm saying you never should have had to make the choice, to begin with. You did well, playing your part for peace."

Nagato moved to kneel beside him, "Let us help you. Though you're young, you've helped open my eyes to what I've been doing. While you were honoring Shisui, I was spitting on Yahiko's grave. After hearing what you have to say, I think he'd be proud if I joined your line of thought rather than continue as I have." he looked conflicted but gave Itachi a firm squeeze on the shoulder.

"Let's spread peace rather than pain. Together. I know you said you have no interest in the Akatsuki's current missions, but join me and Konan as a leader of the organization as it reforms. Share your ideas. Let us listen to you. You aren't just a tool for us to use as we please. You're our comrade." he nodded solemnly.

Itachi was quiet for a moment, swallowing down the ugly sob that was holding itself in his throat. "I...would be happy to truely join you as a comrade. Let us make the world a safer place." he smiled tiredly, eye bags painfully clear as he did so. Nagato and Konan couldn't help but feel like they had neglected Itachi and Deidara both, now.

Their kids are nearly the same ages now as Itachi and Deidara had been when they joined. They saw the children as precious beings and were ready to hunt down anyone who hurt them. Yet they easily sent Itachi and Deidara off on mass homicide missions without any regard for how it would affect them. They knew that the children were different from those two, but they couldn't help but feel they had failed by neglecting their youngest members' mental states.

For that matter, all of their members' mental states were in shambles. Over the years, they had profited off how broken the members were as an excuse to 'spread pain'. Now, they knew they had only been spreading the shattered hearts of their shinobi across the nation. They would have to make things right if they wanted to truely spread peace. They would go to every last village to pick up the missing pieces of each member if they had to.


	41. Comfort

The meeting was interrupted as the door creaked open. Three pairs of eyes fell on the teen in the doorway, much to his discomfort. Shit, he hadn't known they were in the middle of something, otherwise, he would have waited until another chance came up. Neji's mouth tilted into a frown as he saw the scene in front of him.

Nagato was standing over Itachi, a dark look on his face. Meanwhile, Itachi sat wrapped in the arms of Konan, the woman pausing the rubbing of his back as they were walked in on. Neji felt a pinch of nervousness fill him as he noticed this.

Though the Akatsuki members were close, there was of course a certain distance between Nagato, Konan, and the rest of the members. After all, even if the children had long since banished the idea that any of them would die on missions, Nagato and Konan were still technically the bosses of the organization. To have them so openly showing concern and affection for Itachi must have meant something was off. That wasn't even mentioning the exhausted look on Itachi's face.

Neji was startled out of his observation by Konan, who stood from Itachi and motioned Neji over. "It's alright. You're not interrupting anything. What is it, honey? Did you have a bad dream?" she guessed. Why she did so despite Neji not having come to her for his nightmares in years was beyond him. He flustered a bit at the idea but shoved it to the side. This wasn't about him.

"No, I came to talk to you about..." he awkwardly looked to the side when his eyes reflexively fell on Itachi, the teen crossing his arms in an attempt to steady himself. "Sasuke."

Nagato frowned at this, the young Hyuuga not usually so hesitant or shy about a topic, no matter how uncomfortable it was. "Did something happen?" he asked as Neji finally made his way over. Nagato sat in his chair, the elder ninja motioning Neji to join them.

Neji sat on the nearby bed, crossing his legs lightly. "Not exactly. It's nothing urgent. It's just something he said a few days ago, about when he was taken by the other villages. He left out some of the...details. When he was talking to you all about it, I mean."

A small frown formed on Itachi's lips, his mind quickly switching into protector mode. "How exactly did you learn these details, then?" knowing Neji and Sasuke had always been more rivals than anything. He doubted Sasuke would choose him of all people to seek comfort in. Honestly, it would surprise him if Sasuke had sought comfort at all after the event.

"Well, Naruto and I kind of took him outside to train with shuriken a few days ago." he felt the scolding look radiating off all three of them, the teen lightly grabbing onto his pant leg for comfort from the looks of disbelief. "We noticed he was acting weird so we wanted to talk about it. We figured going into the woods with him would be for the best since he was kept locked up in the house while he healed. He seemed stuffy, so I figured fresh air would help him feel better."

Nagato scolded, "We specifically told you all to keep him in the house during that time. He might have been mostly healed, but he still could have gotten hurt and worsened his injuries. What if an enemy had somehow got in and we had no idea where you were?"

Konan nodded, crossing her arms lightly. "If he wanted to go outside, he should have told us. We could have let someone join him and he could have wandered around a bit while still being safe. You and Naruto could have gotten him seriously hurt. His injuries still weren't recovered fully."

The teen nodded a bit, lightly playing with his hair as the guilt sank in. He had known it at the time, but it seemed a fair risk considering how pained he seemed to be. "I know. I'm sorry. We were just worried about him."

"Did the others know about this?" she questioned, quirking her brow a bit at the teen. She understood where he was coming from, but that didn't make it any less dangerous for the two of them to risk. Not to mention Sasuke had actually gone along with it behind their backs!

Konan took a light breath. Truth be told, she understood why Neji had done it. He had been worried. It still didn't take away the risk they had put Sasuke at. Though Nagato's rain made it all but impossible to sneak into the village, they needed to understand that even he wasn't invincible.

"Sort of. Karin and Hinata stopped us halfway to the woods. Gaara tried to remind us dad said that he needed rest, but Naruto talked them into joining us by saying that I was with them. Naruto said he would be safe because I'd be there to protect them in case of an attack. Then they ended up coming along because they figured if we were attacked, they'd be there to help too." he explained.

Itachi sighed a bit at that, rubbing his temples. While he didn't like that his injured brother was put in possible danger, he had to admit the kids had at least thought it through. "Well, it's good that you traveled in a group, at least," he admitted. "What was it he did that you found so alarming, though?" deciding to cut straight to the point.

A frown crossed Neji's lips, the teen only momentarily glad Itachi had changed subjects. "We were practicing with shuriken and I mentioned that we were worried about how closed off he seemed. He got angry when we pointed this out and threw a shuriken at me. He sounded so disturbed when he talked."

While Nagato wasn't particularly happy about the way they had all kept this a secret, he couldn't fault them either. It was true that the Akatsuki could be a bit...overbearing when they were worried. The fact that there were previously ten members made it overwhelming for obvious reasons when any one of the children got hurt. "What did you all talk about that made him loosen up so much? I did notice he relaxed quite a bit the other day when we came home."

"Well, long story short, he said he was feeling bad because the Akatsuki always came home with injuries worse than his yet he was the one making a huge deal out of it. We told him that you all were way more experienced, but he didn't seem to buy it. So Hinata suggested that he talk about it to make himself feel better. He agreed, so we asked him about what exactly happened with Tobi." Neji explained.

Nagato frowned a bit, understanding. They had questioned Tobi the moment he returned without Sasuke, forcing him to spill every detail. So it was easy to understand why Neji was disturbed by what Sasuke had most likely told him. He didn't interrupt as Neji continued, "We talked about how he was tortured and things of that sort. I won't go into detail since I doubt he'd want me to. That's his business, if he wants to tell you." after all, he had promised Sasuke that he wouldn't tell them about the details. It was understandable that Sasuke didn't want to be coddled, but there was some information that had to be told.

"There are just a few things I think you should know for his and everyone's benefits," Neji explained. Seeing a nod and three pairs of attentive eyes fall on him, he began.

"First of all, Sasuke got caught because he was trying to protect Gaara's siblings. They're also apparently the ones who tortured him. Sasuke saids they seemed like they were lashing out at the idea that Gaara was unsafe. Sasuke seems to understand why they did it. It's almost like he's emphasizing with them." he sounded a bit exasperated at that-- his little brother had quite the duel perspective. "Gaara seemed upset by the mention of his siblings doing such a thing. Even if they never were the closest, they are still siblings and its clear they're worried for him. I know you've all heard the rumors."

He shook his head back and forth, as though merely annoyed by Suna's actions. "They're saying that Konoha is laying low after the thrashing but the sand village is ready to pick another fight. I don't doubt that we can take them if push came to shove. The thing is, they're being reckless with their search. Tearing apart smaller villages in search of where we could be hiding Gaara. Villages that we have treaties with. I know this is all surely old news to you, but that's beside the point. We'll have to take action against them soon or risk the complete destruction of our allies as well as their trust in us."

Nagato nodded, having started receiving the reports from the small villages merely yesterday. "I'm not sure how you could know about all this since the information just arrived in yesterday morning, but yes. It's true Suna is trying to close in on us. They are being led by two teenagers. With both of them in a blind rage, it's no surprise they're exhausting their village's resources in search of Gaara."

A tight frown fit on his face as he mused, "The only reason I've hesitated to crush them now is Gaara. I know he still holds a certain degree of understanding in his siblings, and it's clear that they're willing to go to hell and back for him. Their motives are clear, and to be fair, understandable. What they're doing makes me want to use all mighty push on them each individually, yes, but I find it quite hard to do when they're around the same age as you."

Itachi inspected his nails, sighing a bit in thought. "Yes, raising and parenting six children will make you a bit hesitant to use extreme force on other young ones. If you feel uncomfortable with it, I could go after the two. I could kill them fairly easily when it comes to our skill sets. This way Gaara won't see you as the villain, and you can continue on-" being silenced from his analysis as Konan cleared her throat. He stopped, quirking a brow at him.

"Itachi, what did we just get done discussing?" she scolded lightly. "You will be taking on no such burden." she corrected, keeping things some-what unspecific since Neji was in the room."Now, if you'd like, give us the 'Itachi' answer. Not the shinobi answer."

The Uchiha seemed mildly embarrassed as his idea was shot down, not having thought about it much due to it being his auto-set response to situations such as this. So, they wanted his 'Itachi' answer? He supposed that meant the more peaceful ideas that were always floating in the back of his head. The ones normally dubbed 'immature' or as 'wishful thinking'.

"Well, I suppose it would be easy enough to simply talk." seeing the looks on the other's faces, his lip curled into a slight sneer. "Don't ask my opinion then tell me it's a foolish idea. Either take my 'shinobi' plans or don't ask at all if that's how you're going to be. What kind of plan did you expect from a pacifist?"

Neji looked puzzled at the three older member's bickering but said nothing as Nagato shook his head. "No, no. You're right. Let us at least hear you through before making assumptions. It's just...unusual compared to how we normally handle things."

Itachi nodded, taking a breath. It was much different than the normal hack-n'-slash technique they normally used to deal with issues, to be fair. "Think about it. They're lashing out with worry for Gaara. If they know that he is well and safe, they'll most likely stop. Especially if they realize that by striking us, they are striking Gaara. While it's true that we have killed their father, it doesn't seem like he was the best man. The sand villagers themselves often admit to disliking him as a person. I imagine that if they're this worried about Gaara, they chose to side with him instead of falling into their father's brainwashing. So, in short, their relationship probably wasn't the best anyway."

"If we can get them to just sit down to talk with Gaara and one of us, they'll see that he is safe. If they see he's safe, some of their lashing out will stop. It'll take some time, but we may be able to use this to create a positive relationship with Suna. If we can do that...well, having connections within a large village is more than useful. We could use them as we pleased, should the safety of the children come to risk." he explained.

Nagato and Konan both looked unsure but decided that putting their trust in Itachi's plan might just be the best thing. After all, the sand siblings were only teens. They were more likely to fall into line with the peaceful option than experienced leaders. It was their heart leading Suna so far, not their brains, it seemed.

"I understand." Nagato nodded. "It seems like the best course of action. The only issue would be Sasuke. Wouldn't it be a bit painful for him to see us chatting over lunch with the people who beat him nearly to death?"

Konan nodded in concern but sighed a bit. "It'll be hard, but we'll have to sit him down and have a talk about it. This is a great opportunity to not only gain inside connections but also to ease overall relations. To have them as allies would help ensure the children's safety in the future. He loves his family dearly, even if he's bad at showing it sometimes."

Neji nodded, huffing. "While we're on the topic of Sasuke, something else happened to him that you guys don't seem to know." all eyes once more fell on him. "He's been self-conscious about his scars. He saids they make him ugly. We told him this wasn't so, but I don't think he believed it much. He seems uncomfortable with himself. I gave him my jacket to borrow after he said that, but he hasn't taken it off since. I haven't tried taking it back since it seems to comfort him, even if he isn't really talking about it."

Konan frowned at this, "I dislike the idea that he's thinking of himself like that, but I'm not sure what we should do. Maybe we could buy some Hashirama cells off the black market? Those are a bit sketchy, though. I don't want to risk getting them while they're laced or fakes." she noted.

Nagato nodded, "It's too big of a risk. We could find a better healer, perhaps? Tsunade Senju is still alive. It would be hard to track her down, but I think we could do it with Zetsu's help." he suggested.

"No, that won't work." Itachi sighed. "The other member's attempts to locate Zetsu haven't improved any. He's been missing since Tobi was killed. There's no way to send him out if we don't even know where he is or whether he's an ally anymore." having heard about their search of Zetsu from Kisame.

Neji cleared his throat, "I actually have some experience with this kind of thing." he mentioned. "Hinata used to be really self-conscious about her lack of strength when she was little. It was more a mental worry than a physical one, but I believe the logic still applies."

"Hinata's mother used to give her jackets or hoodies to wear. I don't know what it was about them, but they seemed to comfort her. I suppose it's because they sort of engulf the person who's wearing them. My aunt used to compare them to a comfort blanket for people who are too embarrassed or feel too old to walk around with real blankets. Maybe getting him some long-sleeved shirts and full pants instead of the shorts and T-shirt he normally wears would help. Plus a hoodie or two would probably too." he suggested. After all, it had helped Hinata in the past.

He added in, "Plus, it would probably help him more than trying to force his body to heal. Kakuzu once told me that it took time for him to get used to his body being all stitched up. Perhaps him having less revealing clothes would give him some time to become more comfortable with how he looks. I know long sleeves aren't normally his style, but maybe just adding a few into his closet would help. It's been a while since we got new clothes anyway. We're all overdue for some new clothes so you can take us to freshen up our closet and suggest a few of them there." he noted, motioning to the slightly tight shirt he was wearing.

Itachi nodded, "That is true, you all are overdue for some new clothes." he agreed. "So. We need to invite Suna over to discuss peace, have a talk with Sasuke about why it's necessary, and go clothing shopping. Not exactly what I thought our new missions would be, but I'm not complaining." he mused.

Konan rolled her eyes at Itachi, though she looked mildly amused at his point. Fair enough. "Not to mention look further into giving you and Sasuke's little friend in the prison more breathing room. Spirits, you're just as big of a handful as the children are, Itachi."


	42. Breakfast

The next morning, Karin was woken up by the familiar booming voice of her little brother. She sent a silent glare at the doorway where Naruto stood, the blonde sporting a large grin. "Sis, get up and hurry downstairs! Mom saids there's something big that she needs to tell us, but that's beside the point. Itachi and the guy from the leaf made us all breakfast and it's huge!" practically drooling at the thought.

Giving her best glare, the red-head rolled over and up into a sitting position. Raising her hands up to smooth down her sleep-ridden hair, she grumbled a bit. "He said his name was Kakashi, stop calling him a leaf ninja. Even if it's true, the thought of that shitty village is pissing me off." shaking her head back and forth a bit. "I'll be down as soon as I can. Give me a minute to get dressed." shooing him out as she slid on her glasses.

Karin made quick work of slipping out of her pajamas and into her daily clothes, the girl giving her hair a light brushing before she headed downstairs to join her family. She had to admit, she was curious about what her mother could want to talk to them about, but she would guess it has something to do with Kakashi helping make them breakfast. Time would tell, she supposed.

All the annoyance at Naruto for his overly eager waking disappeared as she stepped into the dining room. She was a lot more disciplined with her excitement than Naruto, but even she felt her mouth-watering at the sight before her. Not to mention the wonderful smell.

They all sat at the table, a new chair added and filled with the silver-haired ninja. On the table were a few plates of pancakes with condiments in bottles around them. There were multiple bottles of syrup, all sporting a different flavor. They had maple, chocolate, and strawberry syrup, the latter being her favorite. She noticed Naruto scooping on whipped cream to top off his, the blonde easily ignoring Sasori's scoldings that it was bad for him to eat so much. Beside him, Neji was shaking his head, sprinkling the mix of nuts into his lightly honey-coated pancakes.

Hinata seemed to be enjoying hers as well, the young teen using a mix of bananas, strawberries, and chocolate syrup to make a smiley face. Sasuke easily responded by shaping a mix of blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries into a frowny face on his plate, much to Hinata's fluster. As Karin moved to sit down, she could hear her youngest sister bicker, "Sasuke-nii! It's supposed to be fun, why are you making it frowny?" seemingly in response to something Sasuke had pointed about about her pancakes.

The older teen seemed to enjoy teasing the younger, smirking, "Maybe I like frowny faces? Tch, so judgemental, imouto." ignoring Gaara, who was shaking his head lightly at the two. The youngest of the brothers had settled on some whipped cream, the boy using the cut up strawberries to make a heart in the middle. Simple maple syrup was drizzled over the top, the teen looking quite satisfied with his work, though mildly annoyed as Sasuke and Hinata playfully shoved each other besides him.

"You know that's not what I mean!" Hinata countered, flustering at her brother's teasing. "Besides, you were just saying how mine looked too happy. You're the one who started it-" she bickered, crossing her arms in annoyance. They were both silenced as sand lightly covered their mouths.

Karin watched as they both whipped their head over to the only one of them who could have done it. Gaara seemed to ignore their glares, taking a bite of his strawberries. "You're both being too loud. Just enjoy the food instead of arguing," he muttered, loosening his sand as they both finally agreed, only huffing a bit at each other as they snacked on their pancakes.

None of the adults seemed to be paying their bickering much mind besides Kakuzu who occasionally rolled his eyes and Deidara who was betting with Hidan over who would win in the miniature argument. Their little game was easily shut down by Kisame, who backhanded them both without much thought, Karin noticed as she decorated her pancakes with whipped cream and strawberry syrup.

Since they were all downstairs now, it looked like Konan was ready to make her announcement. She lightly cleared her throat, but that was all it took for the playful bickering and small conversations at the table to stop. All eyes turned to her as she began, "Alright, so we have some big news for everyone. Akatsuki members and you kids, both." she explained.

The majority of the members seemed mildly surprised by that since most of the announcements had to do with the children. She continued on, however, "First of all, Akatsuki, we are reforming." looks of confusion formed on most of the members' faces. "The details have not yet been decided, but things are going to be different around here soon. There will be fewer death-centric missions and more focusing on our vision of peace. While you all will still be free to go on death-centric missions, they will be in less demand so you'll eventually have to take some assistance missions. It'll take some time to figure things out, but that much we know."

Hidan was of course the first one to take issue with this, standing and slamming a fist against the table. "What the fuck do you mean? This is bullshit, we're all S-Rank criminals! I don't give a rats ass about peace! You're both a damn shame to Jashin!" he growled, being pulled back into his seat by a glaring Kakuzu.

"There are children present, Hidan." the eldest of the members growled. "Keep your trap shut." the emerald-eyed man turning back to Konan. "Though, I can't say I agree with this either. Assistance missions barely pay a quarter as much as assassination missions. Our income will be cut down drastically."

Deidara growled from his spot, crossing his arms. "This is idiotic! How am I supposed to show off my art when we're stuck doing crappy missions like escorting people? It'll be like my genin days all over again. I can already hear dumb Onoki and his 'You have to respect the client, Deidara. You can't blow up the client, Deidara.'" his voice mocking as he spoke.

Sasori seemed annoyed at the idea as well, mildly sulking in his chair but not verbally arguing since the other members were doing that well enough on their own. It seemed that the only two members who didn't seem to mind were Itachi and Kisame, who both continued snacking on their breakfast. Kakashi seemed to be watching things unfold with mild amusement, though Karin couldn't tell with that mask over his lips. There was just something about his eyes that told her he found it amusing.

Nagato slammed his fist to the table, everyone falling into silence as he did so. The older red-head spoke calmly, "We will give you all until midnight tonight to choose. Stay with us and accept the new turn for the organization, or be gone by then. If you do choose to leave, fine. However, if you harm anyone in this village on your way out, you won't make it to the front gate." he warned.

A steady silence was left after that, Konan nodding in agreement. "Exactly. If you all do end up staying, this is what we're thinking for partners. Deidara and Sasori would be partners now that Tobi is dead, Kisame and Itachi would remain partners, Kakuzu and Hidan would stay together, then finally, Nagato and I would remain together. Zetsu has disappeared and Tobi is dead, so we were luckily left with an even amount of members. The three ring leaders of the new organization would be Nagato, Itachi, and I. This being said, Itachi is obviously off house-arrest."

Seeing as everyone was remaining silent, some in annoyance and others in relief the subject was finally over with, Naruto decided to ask the question on most of the kids' minds. "So, does the reform thing have something to do with Kakashi?" the teen not bothering to stop eating as he asked, too happy with the fluffy pancakes to stop.

Konan nodded, the adults slowly returning to slowly eating their pancakes as the children reached in for seconds. "Yes, we've decided that he is an ally. He's an old friend of Itachi and he seems to get along well enough with Sasuke. He took the lead and stood up for Sasuke against his village when they prepared to...hurt him." trying her best to avoid the topic as she imagined it would make the teen uncomfortable to have a table full of people discussing it. "He claims that he does not want to be associated with a village that would harm children to such a barbaric extent. As such, he had declared himself a rouge ninja. He will be moving into our village eventually, but for now, we've chosen to keep him in the Akatsuki base so we can keep an eye on him just in case."

The teens all gave a nod of understanding, Karin eyeing the silver-haired ninja wearily. He seemed nice enough, but then, he was still an unknown factor. She supposed she could give him a chance if he was going to join their village, besides, the Akatsuki wouldn't bring any threats straight to them.

Once they all finished, they found themselves fully satisfied. That was one hell of a breakfast. The bacon, eggs, and toast on the side had been so crispy it must have been criminal. Itachi sighed a bit as everyone stood up, giving a soft clap of his hands. "One more thing. We haven't been clothes shopping in a while, so you're clothes are all getting snug on you. We'll be doing that today. Everyone has half an hour to get ready, then we're leaving." he announced, giving Hidan and Deidara pointed looks. "We're all going, and everyone had better behave while we're out."

Hidan and Deidara both rolled their eyes lightly at the other but nodded a bit. Kakashi gave them a look of mild disbelief. This was the oh so feared Akatsuki? These were all S-Rank criminals? They acted like children!

No one set out to answer his questioning looks however, everyone making their way to their own room to get ready.

o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o

About twenty minutes later, Neji got out of the shower. As he headed into his room, he was surprised to see Sasuke sitting on his bed with the jacket he had borrowed folded neatly in his lap. It looked like it had been washed recently, too. "Hello, otouto. Do you need something?" the elder teen moving to place his dirty clothes and towel in a laundry basket to do later.

He purposely didn't pay Sasuke much attention, not wanting to make him nervous by staring him down. It seemed to work well enough as Sasuke spoke in a somewhat casual voice, though it was laced with nervousness. "I came to bring you back your jacket. I forgot to give it back to you. Thanks for letting me borrow it." the younger teen watching as Neji moved around the room, the older never once making eye contact with Sasuke.

"No problem. Thank you for washing it before you brought it back. It looks nice." he noted. It was fairly easy to feel the aura of uncertainty coming off Sasuke, though Neji wasn't sure what it was about. Did it feel awkward to return the jacket? Neji turned to finally look Sasuke over and noticed him holding it out to him. "Is there something you want to ask me?"

Neji settled for sitting beside Sasuke on the bed, noticing that his hair was still damp looking as well. He supposed the younger must have just gotten out of the shower as well. "Don't laugh." he heard Sasuke grumble lightly, looking down at the shirt in his lap. Sasuke had stopped holding it out after a moment of Neji not taking it.

A firm nod came from Neji, the Hyuuga agreeing easily, "Of course. I won't laugh, I swear."

"I know you have a few of these," Sasuke noted. "Since it's the usual Hyuuga style coat. I know you have a lot of extras since they're a pretty common clothing choice for Hyuuga." lightly rubbing the fabric between his fingers. "I also know that I'm not a Hyuuga. Really, I'm not even close. I'm kind of the opposite." he frowned, knowing their clans had never really gotten the long best due to their constant trying to one-up the other when it came to being a respected clan. Not to mention their kekki genkai both being dojutsu didn't help either.

Neji nodded, hands resting lightly on his lap as he looked up a bit. "I do have a few extra, they are pretty common in my clan so every once and a while they'll sneak into the compound to get me an authentic one. I have four or five by now, I believe," he noted. He was pretty sure he knew where Sasuke was going with this. "I don't think the Uchiha are the opposite of the Hyuuga. They're more like our cousins, in my opinion. We both come from the same place if you believe the legend of our clans' creation." he joked lightly, elbowing Sasuke in the rib.

The teen flustered lightly, grumbling, "Tch, like I'd believe an idiotic story like that. My old man used to try to shove that story down my throat all the time. Aliens? Mother of chakra? Oh, please. Spare the fairy tails." he shook his head back and forth. He relaxed after a moment, taking a breath and giving a thin smile to himself. "I do think our clans could have been related somehow, though, now that you mention it. It would make sense with how similar our kekki genkai are. Plus we do have pretty similar genes." lightly running his fingers over the pale skin on his hand.

Neji nodded a bit, leaning back on his bed. "So, now that that's out of the way, what did you want to ask me, and what does it have to do with you not feeling like the Uchiha and Hyuuga are very connected?" not wanting to push too hard.

"I wanted to ask," Sasuke seemed hesitant, but swallowed his pride. "If it isn't disrespecting your clan, could I keep it? I'll give it back if it makes you uncomfortable, but I'd really like to keep it. It's nothing like the Uchiha style, but it's extremely comfortable." his cheeks dusting red as he looked away. Neji understood the underlying message-- it made Sasuke feel comforted.

While Neji hadn't expected Sasuke to grow so attached to his jacket, he didn't have an issue with giving it to the younger. As he had said, he had many jackets in the exact same style with different clothes. Letting Sasuke keep it for comfort wouldn't hurt. "Of course. You're free to have it." he nodded, but glanced up lightly to look at the time. "It's nearly time to go. We should head downstairs so that Naruto doesn't drag us down." he joked lightly, standing up with a thin smile.

Sasuke nodded, following after him and trying to get the burning sensation from his cheeks. Neji made no comment as Sasuke slid his jacket on beside him.


	43. Old Acquaintances

Soon enough, everyone was lined up at the door. The Akatsuki were dressed in their casual clothes rather than their cloaks, something they had started doing recently as to not embarrass the teens. Nagato didn't get it, but apparently having ten ninjas in matching outfits follow along with you was embarrassing. Or so Karin said, anyway. Strange, considering how cool they used to think it was.

Nagato glanced over the kids and members alike, counting everyone as he spoke. "Alright, is everyone here? Yes? Alright, kids, make sure you stay with at least one of the members and vise versa. No wandering off. Also, Kakashi is coming because we need extra arms to carry things." he nodded firmly, ignoring the deadpanned expression the silver-haired ninja gave. "Remember, if anyone tries to grab you, go for either the crotch or chest to avoid killing them. We don't need to be banned from any more stores." he sighed. They had stopped fighting back against the bannings years ago since it seemed to upset the kids.

"Having said that, you all must be on your best behavior. No blowing thing up, no stealing, no putting things in the cart without asking, no stabbing, and no bickering." having to look at the Akatsuki just as much as he did the kids as he spoke. He heard a few lose grumbled and saw a group of nods, so he turned towards the door. "Let's head out, then. We'll go to the tailoring shop first, then we need a restock on a few other things too."

As they headed out, Nagato watched as the kids seemed to find themselves latched to the sides of the members, as always. Neji walked a steady pace beside Kisame, the teen's facial expression neutral, though his eyes shone with amusement. Not that Nagato could particularly blame the boy-- their shopping trips were certainly never dull.

Karin stood beside Nagato, the girl idely braiding her hair then pulling it out as soon as it was finished in boredom. It was a decently long walk, however, so he wasn't surprised that they would want to find something to fill their time with as they walked.

Sasuke, for example, seemed to be filling his time in by standing beside Itachi, taking any chance he could to step on the back of the Naruto's heels. Though the teen was glancing at the side of the road as if innocent, it was fairly obvious to the elder ninja.

The young blonde seemed to be taking great offense to being stepped on, the blonde doing a one-eighty as Sasuke seemingly did it one too many times. "What the hell are you doing that for, bastard!?" the teen earning a heavy sigh from Deidara, whom he was walking with.

Sasuke turned towards Naruto as if only now noticing his misdeed, though the elder ninja knew better. "Hm? Oh, my bad, it looks like I'm getting idiot on my shoes." the raven smirking at Naruto despite his brother's scolding looks. Nagato sighed a bit-- it looked like Sasuke had gone too long without being able to let off steam in the form of playful bickering, based on his teasing jabs at Hinata this morning and now Naruto. Kids would be kids, Nagato supposed. It didn't seem like it was doing any harm, so he supposed he could leave it be for now. Even if he had just finished saying there would be no bickering less than ten minutes ago, he sighed.

"Who are you calling idiot, you bastard!? You're the one stepping on my shoes!" he complained, Hinata sighing at the loudness of the blonde and sticking beside Konan.

As soon as Sasuke opened his mouth so send a comeback, Hinata's soft voice cut through the arguing, her Byakugan activated. "Please be quiet, both of you. You're giving me a headache," she spoke politely, though the threat was still there-- her idiot brothers had better quiet down. There was only so much a girl could handle.

Gaara sent her a grateful look, the red-head quite annoyed by the bickering as well. Soon enough, they arrived at the store. They all headed in, the store owner quickly standing from his work as they did so. He dropped the previous loose frown, his expression softening as he spotted the kids with the Akatsuki. "Pain-sama, Konan-sama, welcome." he greeted.

Nagato nodded in recognition, watching as the Akatsuki members began leading the kids to different sections of the store. Neji stayed beside them, knowing he would be first as always. Nagato made a mental note to make sure the village began referring to him by his birth name rather than his cover name. For now, he would focus on the kids. "Hello, Daito. We're here for six custom designs, six new jackets, thirty tops, and thirty bottoms," he explained, figuring it was best to be blunt with what they wanted.

He heard Kakuzu groan from behind him but ignored it. Daito gave a low whistle, rubbing the back of his neck with a lopsided grin as he motioned Neji closer to begin his measurements. "Whew, I barely afford to pay for my daughters, and I only have two. I don't know how you're still financially afloat with these money leaches." he joked, never having been one for fearing the Akatsuki. Really, very few people in the rain village did. They were their protectors, in a way.

Neji huffed a bit at that, allowing the older man to turn him around for his measurements. Nagato, however, mused at this as he noticed the kids looking through the racks. Well, it was definitely true that they did spend a lot of money on the kids. Then again, there were six of them. It was only to be expected that it would be no cheap way to raise them. "If it weren't for Kakuzu being down our throats every time we're even a bit wasteful, we probably would be broke by now. Not that it's much of an issue, though. They do well when it comes to only using what's needed. They're no more wasteful than any other group of teenagers." he mused.

Daito gave a hearty laugh at this, the man grinning as turned Neji around so that the teen was facing him. While he measured the Hyuuga's chest and other frontal areas, he nodded, "Yeah, they seem like good kids. I'd know, watching them get bigger year by year." lightly giving the now sulky brunet a light squeeze on the cheek. "I remember the first time you brought them. Little Neji getting all pouty and aggressive when I tried to measure him for his clothes. Now look at how still you stand."

Neji flustered a bit at that, looking away as his waist was measured. "Yes, well, I imagine it would be a bit problematic if I was sixteen and still throwing tantrums in the store," he grumbled a bit, ignoring the amusement written over a watching Nagato's face.

The teen sent his best glare towards Daito as the man mused, "That would be quite the issue. Though, I'm sure Kisame-san would have your hide if you tried something like that now." he joked, watching as Neji's face turned a bright shade of red at the older man's joke. Neji mentally growled. Why did adults always seem to laugh at their expense? He supposed the elder decided that he had enough teasing as the man gave his hip a light pat, moving to get the fabrics for Neji to choose from. "Alright, alright. No need to glare me into the floor, Neji," he spoke as he held out a few for Neji to feel as he spoke. "I hear you finished your internship. An official genin, eh?"

Neji nodded a bit, deciding on a piece of thin and silky fabric. It would be best for his sword techniques-- it would give him lots of room to move around, he decided. "Mhm. I've been a genin for a few weeks now," he confirmed, a small hint of pride in his voice, though not leaking into arrogance even a bit. He knew he had a long way to go before he was ready to match even a quarter of an Akatsuki member's strength.

The man nodded in interest, pulling out the color display to have him pick the exact color he wanted. "Ah, I see. You should be proud, succeeding under the apprenticeship of an Akatsuki member. You're one of the prodigies of this village, along with your brothers and sisters. One day, I'm sure you'll all do a great job at defending and leading our village." he lightly jabbed the boy in the side as he mused. "Better use that age advantage to go for the leader spot as soon as possible. I can tell Naruto's ready to fight you for it" he chucked.

Neji felt conflicted but gave the man his best forced smile as he looked over the colors. He knew that, logically, he was the eldest. Which would lead to people expecting him to be the one to take over the village when the Akatsuki was no more. The teen felt the choice of heir based on age alone had always been a terrible idea for obvious reasons. Beside that point, he didn't think the Akatsuki would be gone any time soon. By the time they were ready to retire, Neji was sure they'd all be adults, and they could choose the one best fit to be the leader. If it was even any of them at all, actually. Neji knew they weren't bold enough to throw him into the leader position merely because of his age, though it still made him conflicted every time he heard a villager or ally assume he would one day be their leader. It felt wrong-- like he was getting the respect he hadn't yet earned.

Eventually, he picked a shade of navy blue, tossing his thoughts to the side for now. He didn't want to worry Nagato by freezing up as he had done the first few times the topic was mentioned. He would rather focus on what he could control, like his clothing. He loved the color blue as it reminded him of the sky, but he also knew it would be foolish for a ninja to pick a color as bright as the sky for their everyday outfits. After all, no one knew when conflict would arise, and he'd rather be safe than sorry. "This one, please." he forced out while taking a breath.

Daito didn't seem to notice the teen's conflict, the man nodding and marking the two fabrics down onto his sheet. "Got it. What color thread, and do you have any designs you'd like on it?" he hummed over his clipboard.

"Dark blue thread. Try to make it match the color of the shirt as closely as possible if you can. As for designs." he paused only momentarily, having thought about it before they arrived. He glanced over at Nagato to check if it was alright, though he doubted the man would have any issue with it. "Can I get come feathers lining the sleeve in a row?" the teen smiling thinly as Nagato nodded in permission.

Daito nodded a bit, writing on his clipboard once more, "I think I can manage that." the man agreed lightly, drawing out a rough sketch of what it would look like. "How's this?"

"Can you make the sleeves a bit wider? The pant's color can just be the same as the shirt." watching as the man easily fixed the issue, "I'd also like it to be crossed over in the front so it buttons up instead of a closed peace." smiling a bit as the man fixed it just right. "Yes, just like that, please."

Once he got confirmation, Neji moved to get off the customer stand, sighing a bit as his hair was ruffled. He had known this man since he was eight, but his hair falling into disarray never became any more enjoyable. "Got it! I'll have it ready in no time. Why don't you go pick some pre-made clothes then while I work on the others' custom designs? Call Karin over here for me."

Neji nodded, easily heading over to where Karin was looking over some turtle-necks. He lightly tapped her shoulder, easily getting her attention. "Hey, it's your turn," he explained, watching the girl slide the shirt back on the rack and head over to the sizing area.


	44. Know Your Place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I updated the tags with the planned ships. If anyone wants to know now instead of waiting. Do keep in mind, though, it will probably take a while before these relationships start blossoming. Especially some of the more complex ones.

Karin headed over, a female taking the place of the male who had measured Neji. They figured it was best for a female to measure the young girls, for comfort's sake. "Hello, Karin." the woman smiled in greeting to the young girl, who only nodded a bit in greeting. "How have you been? It's been quite a while since we're seen you."

"I've been well," Karin answered simply, not really being one for conversation outside her family. Mainly because she could never keep herself from her loud-mouthed habits and it tended to annoy people. She'd rather keep to herself as to not cause any arguments. Arguing was a waste of her time, she usually figured.

The chatty woman continued on, however. She seemed to be in a good mood, though Karin had a feeling it was fake. "So, tell me, found yourself a nice boyfriend yet?" she playfully jabbed as she measured the girl. Seeing Karin's glare, she joked, "Come, now, I'm only asking. No need to be shy." she hummed, twirling her around the check her back measurements.

"No." Karin crossed her arms with a small scoff. Even if she had, it would be none of her business. Some people were so nosy.

A pout came from the woman, who assured her, "Don't worry, honey. I'm sure you'll find the right man someday." she smiled, "One that will worship, spoil, and support you. I didn't meet my husband until I was nearly nineteen! The courting process is simply magical. Gifts, big romantic gestures, compliments-" she swooned. "You know we have a son about your age, a bit older, but only by five or so years. If you ever want, we could-"

She was cut off, Karin becoming mildly aggravated. "I'm not interested." she snapped harshly. She could see the hurt on the woman's face and merely crossed her arms, "I have no interest in any relationships right now." she half lied, knowing it wasn't in her best interest to make her father's villagers upset.

In all honesty, she would be fine with a relationship, she just didn't feel anyone she'd ever met would be a good spouse. There were a few she'd seen who seemed nice enough, but nothing she could see being long-lasting. She felt like when she met the right person, she would know. For now, she had her family, and that was all that mattered. Besides, she didn't want any of that constant worshipping or spoiling the elder girl spoke of. If she ever got with someone, she'd prefer if they were able to be serious occasionally instead of constantly sweet talking.

The woman seemed disappointed but nodded, getting the fabric choices for her none the less. "Alright, but if you ever change your mind, feel free to tell me." she lightly joked. Karin only stared at her quietly, prompting the woman to hand the fabrics over.

"This one, in purple, please." she pointed to a piece of thick cotton fabric. The woman nodded, rushing to show her a light sketch of the outfit. Karin frowned at the sleeveless shirt that was suggested. "I would like the sleeves. I want them to go up to my wrists."

Tilting her head, the shop worker did as she asked. Karin nodded a bit at the new design, adding, "Could you do some white outlining on it?" she asked, "With two pockets? Could they have zippers so nothing falls out?" she asked, watching her make the adjustments to the image. "That's good. Thank you."

The woman seemed to be in a worse mood now, but Karin didn't particularly care. She had no business trying to pry into her personal life or setting her up with some boy just because they were close in age. If she had just minded her business, she wouldn't be in such a bad mood now. The woman frowned as she set Karin's order to the side, "No problem. Can you go get Sasuke? It's his turn."

Karin nodded, turning on her heel and heading over to Sasuke. The teen was beside Neji, the older seemingly showing off some hoodies he had found on the racks to Sasuke. She came up behind him, lightly ruffling his hair, "Your turn, otouto."

The younger seemed unamused, Sasuke lightly smacking her hand away with a huff and scowl. He fixed his hair, "Alright, I'm going, I'm going. Stop that." before glancing back and Neji, "Can you please put the navy blue one in my pile?" seeing a nod, he returned it with a "Thanks." before heading over to have his measurements taken.

As he jumped up on the measuring stand, the man returned from the back to take his measurements. He noted as she flipped through a clipboard, "Hey kid, care to take your jacket off so I can get an easier measurement?" he hummed, not looking up as he arranged a few things.

Sasuke nodded, hesitantly taking Neji's gift off and looking around for where to place it. He'd rather not put it on the floor. He felt someone tap his shoulder and glanced back to see Kakashi smiling behind his mask. "Need a hand, Sasuke?"

The teen huffed at the overly friendly man, lightly shoving the cloth into his hands. "Be careful." seeing Nagato's scolding look he added, "Please." before turning back to the man for measurement. He noticed the man was mildly frozen, looking over the numerous stitches and marks on his arms. Sasuke grew annoyed rather quickly, quirking his brow and raising his arms for easier access. "Are you going to start or what?" ignoring his instincts to cover himself.

The man nodded a bit, snapping out of it. "Right, of course." he moved to measure his arms, Sasuke staying quiet. Nagato didn't reprimand him for his snapping this time.

Clearing his throat as he measured the teen, he asked, "So, I hear you got into a bit off a scuffle with the other villages." he spoke, Sasuke mentally groaning. Didn't this idiot know how to read the room? "From the rumors, you kicked their asses pretty good, eh?" he joked.

Sasuke felt mildly confused for a moment. Kicked their asses? He knocked out some guards, dodged the sand siblings, failed to run away, then was tortured for hours on end. He ran away, stitched himself up, then got caught again. Leading to a repeat of the torture process. He had barely run away, let alone 'kicked ass'. Where had they got that idea? "Actually-" he began, but the other cut him off.

He felt a pounding on his back as the man laughed, "Don't try to be modest, now. I heard all about how you joined Tobi in taking down the ruthless Kazekage, then stuck behind as you two were cornered. Good thing, too. Tobi might be a 'good boy' but I don't know if he's good enough to hold out under interrogation like you did. Helping him escape probably saved his life." he grinned, hands firmly resting on Sasuke's shoulders.

"Then as soon as they were done interrogating you, wham!" he grinned, "Escaped, knocking out anyone in your way. With such big injuries, too! How you managed to escape them plus steal their medical supplies to stitch yourself up is beyond me. You're quite the little sneak master, aren't you?" he joked as he twirled him around to get his back measurements.

He clapped his hands as he finished measuring, not allowing Sasuke a moment to bring up his objections. "Not to mention tracking down a leaf jonin to force him to bring you into the leaf village! Talk about mad skills and bravery. Going to make sure the others finished off the Hokage after you escaped took some serious balls. Then calling forth the Akatsuki to deal the village some extra damage, I've not heard such a cold-blooded and epic story in years! You'll become a great ninja one day." he grinned. "Already are, actually. Ey, who knows, maybe that little stunt was enough to have your father consider you for the Akatsuki. No use waiting with bravery like yours-"

"Shut up." came a calm yet firm command from a nearby rack. Sasori was helping Gaara try on a few jackets, the older not bothering to look at the shop keeper as he spoke. "Sasuke does not wish to speak about it, as you would know if you were able to keep quiet for more than a tenth of a second. Leave him be. What happened on that mission is no one in this village's business. Quiet down, measure him and ask his preferences. You have no right to be blabbering on to him. Know your station, shop-keeper, or I will personally put you in it. Both you and your wife." the red-head thinking back to the pushy lady who had blabbered onto Karin.

The man looked frozen as he heard this, opening then shutting his mouth before holding the fabrics out for a mildly uncomfortable Sasuke to choose them. The teen sent Sasori a grateful look before pointing to a charmeuse sample. "In black, please," he asked softly, the man nodding in a rush.

Seeing the design as the man drew, Sasuke corrected lightly, "I'd prefer long sleeves this time."

The shop keeper looked ready to question it since Sasuke had always worn his sleeves short with shorts, but Sasori's warning look stopped him. "...Long pants too?" a nod was all it took for him to resume his sketching. "How is this?"

Sasuke nodded, looking him over. "Good, but could you add the Uchiha symbol on the arms too?" deciding it would be nice rather than just the back as usual. A firm nod came from the man before he drew them on. Sasuke nodded a bit, feeling awkward with how the man's eyes lowered and he quieted down. Sometimes it was hard to remember that the Akatsuki were S-Rank ninja, easily able to kill nearly anyone when they were so close to Sasuke. Seeing the man's open and blabbermouth personality quiet down so quickly with a warning from Sasori, though, Sasuke found himself easily being reminded.


	45. It's Progress

Naruto was the next to bound over, being in a much better mood than the others before him. "Heyo!" he greeted, nodding in greeting to the older man who was measuring him. When he only got a firm nod back in greeting, Naruto frowned a bit.

He had heard the scolding a moment ago and was mildly disappointed that things had played out as he had imagined. It looked like the Akatsuki had scared another one quiet. It was kind of annoying, how easily everyone bent backward to listen to the Akatsuki. Naruto couldn't think of a single person inside their village who would get in even a fight with them.

It was pretty dumb, in Naruto's opinion. Sure, they were really powerful and stuff, but it isn't like they'd hurt anyone too bad, right? They were the village protectors, right? It never made sense to Naruto how the Akatsuki could be so protective of the village and threaten it at the same time. It just seemed kind of counterproductive.

He guessed it couldn't be helped, though. Even if Naruto didn't like thinking about it, the Akatsuki were technically criminals. S-Rank ones at that. It made sense for the village to fear them. Naruto just...didn't understand why it had to be like that. He really wished it could be different, but he supposed he was only thinking that way because he didn't know much about running a village.

That would change soon, though. After all, he was supposed to be training under Nagato before this all started. He knew his father was going to be making some changes based on what he had said this morning, but he hoped that he would still be able to train under him. It would suck if the reforming of the Akatsuki made it so that he would have to learn from someone else.

If it did happen, he'd accept it, though. He knew Nagato wouldn't put him under someone who would suck as a teacher. Father knows best, Naruto figured. He turned, allowing the man measuring him to get his other side. The other had said nothing in the last few minutes, he mentally sighed.

Well, if the shop keeper wasn't talking, Naruto guessed now was as good a time as any to talk with Nagato about it. "Dad? With everything going on, am I still going to get to train under you? I know you've been busy with leading and everything but you haven't really taught me anything yet." he pouted, immature as always.

Nagato sighed from his spot a few feet away. "I'm sorry, Naruto. Things have been hectic in the last few weeks. We've been so focused on Sasuke that we've not had much of a chance to work on training our students. Or to focus on you all much at all, for that matter." tone a bit saddened. "I can't confirm nor deny the idea that your internships will be delayed or even completely stopped. We need to focus on the bigger picture to ensure this village's as well as all of your safety. So until further notice, they're put on an extended hiatus. I don't just mean yours or your siblings, either. I mean all the ninja in the program. I'll make the announcement public tomorrow." he explained.

Naruto nodded, sad, but understanding. There was a lot going on, so he could understand that they couldn't be focusing on just them right now. He might not be the most intelligent of his siblings, but he was smart enough to know that the Akatsuki recking the leaf village would put not only the sand village but all the villages on high alert. Especially now that it was clear they were alive.

It was years later, but Naruto finally understood why his elder classmates had doubted they were picked randomly. It was true, everything they had said. It had frustrated and confused him at the time, but Naruto now understood how important they were. Two of them had the Byakugan. Two of them held a tailed beast. Then, finally, two of them were some of the last in their bloodlines.

Whether it was on accident or on purpose, they were important. "I know. Things are probably going to be different now." he grinned optimistically, however. "That doesn't give you an excuse to not at least teach me some cool ninjutsu in your free time, though. You can't hold out of me forever." he joked, Nagato smiling back at the teen as he did so.

This seemed to set the shop keeper in at least a bit of a better mood, too. The man gave a small smile, holding out the fabric and color choices for the teen. Naruto quickly pointed to a chenille sample, "That one, in orange, please. With the Uzumaki symbol on the back and down the sleeves." liking Sasuke's idea of having their clan symbols down the sleeve.

He could feel Sasuke's accusing 'how dare you copy me' glare, but ignored it as the sketch was drawn out. It looked great. "Yeah, that's great. Thanks!" he grinned, hopping off down the measuring area and humming, "Gaara, your go."

Sasori sighed a bit. That was his cue.

Even after all these years, Gaara still disliked being touched by those outside his family. It had taken a lot for him to trust even them, so there was no way a shop keeper they saw maybe once every few weeks in passing would be allowed to touch him. As such, it had become a set idea that every time they visited, Sasori took the measurements and the man helped design and show off the products for him to pick from.

Gaara quietly got up onto the measuring area, Sasori picking up the tool beside him. Sasori's quick and gentle movements caused Gaara no fear, the teen standing perfectly still as he was measured. Sasori smiled a bit at the boy as he measured his waist. "You've gained a few pounds."

Now, normally, that would be a terrible thing to say to a teenager. Gaara was, of course, the exception. The teen's lips curved into a thin smile as he was measured, Sasori praising, "You're getting close to our goal. You're almost average weight." the elder approved, wrapping the tape around his arm. "I'm proud."

Gaara didn't bother stuffing down the smile that was slowly growing. He had noticed in the mirror that he was gaining weight-- just as they had been working at for a while. After all, being too underweight was never a good thing for a ninja. It would allow any wounds he got to bleed out faster. If he was stuck in the cold, he'd freeze quicker. Not to mention it would make it easier to hit his organs or snap a bone. Everyone needs a little meat on their bones, at least enough that they're healthy.

It was one thing to have a fast metabolism, it was another to have your tailed beast chomping away at your being due to loose sealing. Not to mention, Gaara had been scrawny since birth. So a few added pounds were cause for praise. "Yeah, I've been trying to keep up with our schedule even though we've been busy." he smiled, "I'm glad it's working out."

Sasori turned him around for his other measurements, the teen folding his hands in front of him, back straight. So far, today had been good. He could see Sasuke getting his jacket back from Kakashi a few feet away. He supposed Neji must have given it to him, then. It seemed like he was wearing it an awful lot and Neji didn't seem to be batting an eye.

Whatever made them happy, Gaara supposed. "You know, Gaara, you could get something besides your normal red and brown tunic. Maybe some designs or something of that sort?" Sasori suggested. "Naruto and Sasuke got their clan symbols, Neji got his feathers, perhaps something of that sort?"

The teen considered it briefly. What would be wear as a symbol? He was born from the Kazekage clan, but they didn't exactly have a symbol besides...well...the sand village symbol. It wasn't like he wanted to show off their symbol after what they had done to Sasuke. Not to mention it would make him a target for sand village enemies. Perhaps something like Neji's, then?

Neji had picked feathers, probably because of his freedom philosophy. Gaara didn't really have a philosophy, he noted. He had morals, of course. Rules he set for himself. Choices he knew he'd make no matter what.

He would always protect his loved ones. He'd never shy away from his own feelings, as he had come to learn they were part of him. Ah, perhaps that was it. He could wear a symbol for something he loved and that was part of him. Let's see. There was the Akatsuki, his siblings, his sand, and his hobbies. Ah, there it was. His hobbies. He supposed training and occasionally being allowed to toy with Sasori's puppets wouldn't work. Maybe gardening, then? He liked to garden.

Yes, that would work. He'd not mind that at all. "Can I get a flower vine along the back of my shoulder line?" he suggested, "Plus the cuffs of my tunic, if it's alright," he asked, glancing over at Sasori who nodded in permission.

"That sounds like a great idea. What kind of flower do you want on the vine?" he quirked a brow, the shop keeper already making notes in his note-pad off to the side.

Gaara thought only briefly before asking, "A dark red dahlia." he decided rather quickly, always having loved the flower. There were quite a few growing in the training woods, actually. He glanced over at the man's design, seeing a long-sleeved red tunic with leg flaps and a sand holder on the waste. The flower designs could be seen as well in just the right spot. He smiled a bit, "Yes, that's good. As for the fabric, the usual leather-linen, please." he noted, smiling thinly as Sasori lightly patted his head, motioning the boy off the stand.

"Alright. We got it. That just leaves Hinata then, I suppose. Could you go get her for us, Gaara?" the elder redhead asked. Gaara needed no further prompting before he was off to fetch his one and only younger sister.


	46. The Power Of The Mangekyou

Finally, Hinata's turn came around. The youngest of the children headed over, standing on the measurement area. She stayed still for the young woman who was measuring her, not wanting to cause her any trouble. She was quiet but thoughtful as she side-eyed her siblings and the Akatsuki members.

She watched as they all chose their general clothes. What she saw didn't surprise her too much, for the most part. After all, they were her siblings. She knew them better than anyone.

Neji was picking mostly colorless fabrics, either whites or blacks. An occasional brown was mixed in, but for the most part, it remained the same. All long-sleeved, making him look like some sort of celestial being. It was amazing, honestly. Only Neji was able to take such simple outfits and make them look surreal. Kisame was shoving some sword holsters into his arms too, so she supposed he would be getting some of those. After all, everyone knew Kisame was one of the few people Neji openly admired.

All the items in Neji's arms fell, however, as he was crashed into from behind. The elder sent Karin a scolding look as he rubbed his shoulder. "Karin," he spoke warningly. "The spirits gave you two eyes, use them and watch where you're going." his Byakugan activating in aggravation, though they all knew he'd not use it on them. Karin, unfortunately, used this to her advantage.

"Yeah, yeah, you got the big scary byagkugan. You're a threat, we got it. But you're barking up the wrong tree. Sasuke's the one who pushed me into you." she scoffed, ignoring his threatening gaze as she picked up her purple and black shirts from the ground. Idiot brothers, she silently noted.

Sasuke gave her a glare for her accusation. "Only because you don't understand personal space. Stop breathing down my throat every two seconds and I wouldn't have shoved you." he held tightly onto his mixture of blue and black outfits.

"Well, maybe I wouldn't be breathing down your neck if you weren't arguing with Naruto every two seconds," she spoke, resting a hand on her hips as she did so, silently daring him to tell her she was wrong. Sasuke looked ready to take the challenge when Neji apparently chose his side.

The Hyuuga dusted off his pants, "Otouto, you two need to stop fighting. We're in the middle of a shop, you'll cause property damage. Or, worse, hurt each other." he scolded, both him and Karin staring Sasuke down. The raven glared at them with offense as he was cornered.

Damn it, Neji. Not helping, he noted mentally. "Well, don't just be looking at me, Naruto did it too. He's the one who started it." motioning to the blonde who was pointedly ignoring the conversation up until that point. Naruto tossed a jacket at Sasuke's head, much to the Uchiha's annoyance.

Sasuke whipped around, Sharingan flashing with their new design. They were red, but instead of three tomoe, there was one connected design. It had a black center with five thick and wavy lines swirling out of it. Sasuke growled at Naruto, the blonde jumping back a bit at the unfamiliar design. "Hey, bastard, don't look at me like that. What's wrong with your Sharingan?" the younger teen looking interested but wary.

Looking mildly offended, Sasuke glared harder, "There's nothing wrong with my Sharingan, idiot. Mind your own business or I'll kick you-" his thought process being interrupted as he felt something cover his eyes. He jumped, not having expected it. He whipped his head around, realizing it was a pair of hands. "What was that for?" he asked, trying to shake them off.

"Don't look at other people while your mangekyo Sharingan is activated. We still don't know what power you activated." the voice of his elder brother scolded. Sasuke opened his mouth to resort, but Itachi easily cut him off. "I realize it's a reflex to becoming angry, but if your Sharingan activates, point it elsewhere. Not at your siblings." he directed, finally letting go of Sasuke and moving his hands out from in front of his eyes.

Sasuke pouted a bit, never enjoying being scolded by Itachi, even if he was a lot older now. His sulking was interrupted as Gaara came up beside him, asking curiously, "Why are your eyes like that, nii-san?" he tilted his head while going through the racks. "Itachi has them too, but I've never seen them anywhere else. Is it an Uchiha thing? Do you get them when you turn a certain age?" he asked with interest, apparently not fearing Itachi's earlier worries of accidental pain if Sasuke misused his new power on accident. After all, that would make him a bit of a hypocrite, would it not?

The young Uchiha was surprised by his question but answered it. "No, from what I know, it activates when you see someone you love die. You've probably not seen it elsewhere because of the massacre." finally able to talk about the event without bawling his eyes out, though it had taken many years of comfort from both Itachi and the rest of his new family.

Neji asked with interest, "Itachi said something about power. Is it inherited or unique to each person?" he questioned. He had previously assumed that the Byakugan and Sharingan were pretty similar, but was surprised to find out that there was another level to the Sharingan. The Byakugan didn't have the next level, as far as he knew.

Sasuke shook his head a bit as he picked through the clothes. "It's unique to each person. I think I've got a clue of what one of the powers is, but I have no idea what the other is." he explained, "You get one in each eye. It's usually a mental power in one and a physical power in the other. The mental one is pretty obvious, so I figured it out already." he explained, his Sharingan finally dulling as he relaxed.

Naruto roughly nudged his side, "Well, don't keep us waiting bastard, what is it?" he demanded, Sasuke reaching over and knocking him over the head on reflex.

"Give me a damn minute and I will." he glared before returning to the clothes. "I can see energy." he explained bluntly, seeing Neji open his mouth, he glared, "Not like the Byakugan." giving a light pout at the idea. If his Sharingan had 'upgraded' to a Byakugan copy, he'd be pissed.

"How then?" Hinata finally spoke up from her spot on the measuring stand. If he could see energy, but not like them, then what was he seeing? Maybe he could see the separate parts of the chakra instead of the full rush in their body? She had heard from her biological father when she was little that very few skilled Hyuuga could do that.

Sasuke glanced over his shoulder as he heard his sister's question. "I don't just see human energy. I see...everything." lightly motioning around them. Seeing the confused looks he got, he huffed a bit, pointing to a glass of water. "It has water energy. It's sitting in a cup with earth energy." he pointed to the ground, lightly tapping the wooden planks with his shoe. "More earth energy." pointing to the lightbulbs above them. "Lightning energy." before crossing his arms.

Hinata and Neji's eyes both widened at that, knowing just how much chakra that must be based on what they had seen in people alone. Naruto looked unimpressed, however. "So what, you know that water is water and wood is earth. No shit. What good does that do you?" he huffed. "Why didn't you get a cool power like the Tsukuyomi?"

Sasuke looked annoyed now but did his best to keep his tempter. He knew Naruto meant no harm, but he seriously needed to work on not being so blunt. "I don't get to pick my power, idiot. I don't know what I'm supposed to do with it either, but I'll figure it out eventually." waving the other off with annoyance.

Itachi lightly sat his hands on Sasuke's shoulder from behind, "It most likely has something to do with his other mangekyo. It will reveal itself, in time. I'm sure it will be just as useful as the Tsukuyomi, once he figures out how to use it." he nodded firmly, offering the teens a light smile.

With Itachi entering in the ring, their bantering seemed to fall loose rather quickly. It was a skill to envy, Hinata noted. All Itachi had to do was step in for a brief moment with his assurances and all would fall in line. He leads them with love and gentleness, something her birth father had always claimed as impossible. It was one of the many reasons she looked up to him. His ability to soothe nearly any conversation was unmatched.

He was the image of pacifism, in her eyes. She knew what he had done, of course. They all did, of all the members. They weren't children anymore. They knew that by most standards, the Akatsuki were terrible people. None the less, they were still their family, and she could easily see the good in all of them.

Hinata could only hope that she'd be able to follow in Itachi's philosophy. She hated fighting, but she knew it was necessary sometimes. Maybe Itachi could show her how he did it sometime, she silently noted. She'd have to ask.

She was snapped out of her thoughts as a voice came from behind her. "Hinata, dear, what fabric do you want?" she tilted her head.

Hinata flustered a bit at her spacing out, bowing her head a bit in apology before glancing at the fabric choices. She decided to go with something basic. "Cotton, in purple, please," she asked.

A firm nod was given from the woman, a design being drawn within moments. Hinata looked it over. A long-sleeved purple shirt with pockets, she noted. "Can you add some netting on the arms?" figuring it would be a nice change. The woman easily obliged, finishing off the children's clothes designs at last.

Finally, they were done shopping for the day. Kakuzu had already bitterly paid in full, so they could leave and bring the majority of their clothes home at last. All that was left was the custom designs, which would be done in a few days' time. They were top priority customers, after all.


	47. It's Never Easy

As they headed out, each of the kids had a scroll with them. The shop keepers had taken to sealing purchases in scrolls since it was most convenient. This way, it was easier to carry and used fewer bags. The kids held onto their scrolls, tailing behind the Akatsuki as they walked.

Konan smiled, "There, now we're all stocked up for a while. Once we get home, I want all of you to go to your rooms and try them on, to make sure they fit. Alright?" she was met with a few grunts or whines of agreement. Shopping was fun, trying them all on only to switch to another immediately was not. Still, they had to make sure they fit.

Naruto asked as they walked, "What's for dinner tonight?" glancing at Hidan since he knew it was his turn to cook tonight.

Karin scolded her brother lightly, "We haven't even had lunch yet, Naruto. It's barely noon." a look of mild annoyance crossing her face, Sasuke's expression mimicking her. Was food all he thought about?

The silver-haired man grinned with excitement none the less, "We're having ribs!" Hinata mentally pouting along with Gaara. They always had some sort of loaded meat when it was his turn to cook. They were starting to wonder if that was all he knew how to cook. "With some sliced up tomatoes, and peppers, and-" being cut off by a sigh from Kakuzu. "What are you huffin' about!? You love my cooking!"

Kakuzu shook his head back and forth lightly, "You brats spend a fortune in food alone. Can't we just buy bread in bulk then let them practice their hunting and gathering skills? The Akatsuki won't be around to reform if we keep spending as we have been." he frowned, as grumbly and sour as always.

Hidan lightly nudged his partner's rib, "Don't be bitchen with me. I'll make it up to you later." he wriggled his eyebrows with a crude smirk before laughing wholeheartedly.

Kakuzu knocked him over the head at his words, growling, "Keep your vulgar mouth shut in front of the children." he narrowed his eyes lightly. The young immortal was always so crude, Kakuzu had no idea why he cared for the younger sometimes.

Neji looked to the ground, mildly disgusted with the conversation topic, Sasuke doing the same. A few loose snorts of laughter fell from Naruto, Karin, and Hinata quick to send him reprimanding looks for it. Gaara seemed to be the only one who didn't seem too put off by the conversation, the teen walking alongside Kakashi with a mild interest in the man. He didn't seem hostile nor manipulative, so Gaara was willing to give him a chance. After all, not only their mother and father but Sasuke and Itachi as well had vouched for him so far.

"By the time you all are done trying on your clothes, lunch should be ready," Itachi noted with a light sigh at the teen's reactions. Children would be children, he supposed.

They arrived at the house, each of the kids going to their rooms as told, with the exception of Sasuke. He was about to when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He glanced behind him to see Itachi, Konan, and Nagato looking at him. The others had gone off to do their own thing, it seemed. Itachi spoke lightly once it was just them, "We need to have a talk, little brother."

Sasuke sulked a bit with a huff, glancing at his parents and brother. "Pass," he mumbled but turned to follow them anyway. He was tired of having these idiotic conversations. The two weeks of hell had been rather traumatic, but how was he going to get over it if they kept bringing it up? He knew pushing it down wasn't an option, but he was sick of dealing with it. He just wanted to let it pass.

Konan and Itachi sighed a bit, Nagato lightly laying an arm around the teen's sulking shoulders while leading him to the top floor, to their bedroom for some privacy. Sasuke seemed to relax a bit with Nagato's touch, though it was something the older ninja rarely did. Nagato wasn't exactly a touchy-feely kind of man.

Sasuke followed them up to their room, Konan locking the door once they got upstairs. Itachi lightly nudged him to sit in a chair placed near the window. Sasuke hadn't been up in Nagato and Konan's room nearly as much as say Naruto, Karin, or Gaara, but he had a few times. It had always been when he was getting chewed out for being thoughtless or being checked upon, though. So Sasuke knew he was in for yet another serious conversation. He was getting tired of them.

As he sat in the chair, he noticed it was facing the bed rather than the window for once. Nagato sat on the bed, Itachi sitting beside the older shinobi. Konan sat beside Sasuke, the woman eyeing him with a sense of dread. This only made Sasuke even wearier. What were they going to talk about that was so bad? Was it his mangekyo? Was he in trouble for what he'd done to Tobi? It would make sense, they hadn't said much about it since it happened.

Sasuke lightly picked at his fingernails as he looked down a bit, occasionally looking up at one of the elder shinobi. He heard Nagato ask lightly, "So, how have you been feeling the last few days?"

The teen easily explained, "I've been feeling good. My ankles are still a bit wobbly if I stand on them too long, but besides that its been fine." giving them the whole truth since he knew that if he lied they'd only drag it out of him sooner or later.

Konan lightly hummed, "That's a huge improvement. How about your tongue? How have you been feeling about eating?" since the first few nights after he'd come back he had refused to eat anything besides simple soups. It was understandable, but not healthy to live off of for too long. They had been trying to remove him from the soup diet for a few days now. Starting with applesauce and moving up until now. Sasuke was able to eat boiled veggies and some fruits now, though he'd occasionally have to stop and take a breath. They could tell that the main issue was him stressing mentally over it rather than physically. As such, they had decided to give him time.

"It's been fine." he huffed a bit, leaning on one of the chair's arms. "I still don't like eating the meats and heavy foods, though." the teen admitted, not wanting to lie then have them resume feeding him heavy foods. They had luckily been giving him separate foods from the others, at least until he felt well enough to be eating what the rest of them were. Sasuke just couldn't imagine eating meat right now. If he had mini panics that the boiled carrot he was eating was actually his fallen tongue, he doubted he'd do very well with meats, considering their textures were so similar. He had barely been able to enjoy the pancakes earlier this morning.

Itachi nodded a bit, opening his mouth, but Sasuke cut him off. "Please just get to the point." the teen spoke lightly, reflexively clenching his hands onto his jacket sleeves. "I know you didn't just call me up here to check on me. You could have done that downstairs."

He heard a brief silence before Nagato let out a small breath. The boy had a fair point. "Yes, there is something we need to talk to you about. It concerns Suna. This is going to sound like a terrible idea, but at least hear us through." he told the teen, reaching a hand out to rest it on the Uchiha's knee.

Sasuke felt the soft comforting grip and silenced himself. Suna? What was going to happen? Had they found out where they were? Were they going to have to fight them? Or, worse, was his father planning on sending Gaara back there? He highly doubted it, but Nagato had said it would sound like a terrible idea. It was reasonable that he'd fear the worst.

"We want to talk it out with them." Itachi began. Well, Sasuke hadn't been expecting that. "We understand that it would be hard for you, considering what they've done, but we think it would be the most beneficial. They seem to be running on emotion rather than logic, as seen by the way Suna is currently falling to pieces under their leadership. Hence why we think we should invite them here."

Sasuke wasn't understanding the logic, honestly. He was too busy worrying about the idea of being in the same room as them. He never wanted to see either of the sand siblings again. He still listened as Itachi spoke, though he clenched onto his sleeves a bit tighter now. "If we invite them and show that Gaara is alright, it would most likely do two things. One, help Suna. They'll not waste military supplies and power searching for Gaara. Two, it will leave them more submissive to the rain village if they know Gaara is willing to side with us. This could be used to protect the rain village if anyone were to find out that you all were here. Topping this off, it would be a good first step for you all reconnecting with the world. As much as we love having you here, I'd hate to see you all forced into living like criminals simply because we were the ones to raise you. You all deserve a chance to be simple village ninja if that's what you want."

Nagato sounded guilty, "I never meant to send you on that assassination mission. It was meant for Tobi alone. I had no idea you had picked him to be your mentor. By reconnecting with Suna, we can get you your freedom back."

Sasuke looked at him in confusion, "What do you mean, get it back? I know Suna doesn't exactly like me, and I'm sure Konoha is pretty pissed too, but I never did anything. All I did was run away and maybe fight back a little more than I should have. Does that mark me as an enemy of theirs?"

Konan nodded a bit, frowning and handing Sasuke a bingo book. Sasuke looked at her with confusion but hesitantly took it. He opened it, and sure enough, there he was. He was ranked as a low ranking criminal, but he was still there. Sasuke's stomach twisted, frowning a bit. He snapped it shut, handing it back to her. "I don't care."

"What do you mean, you don't care?" Itachi asked with confusion. How could Sasuke not care? The life of a criminal was hard! He above all other people should know that.

The teen only shrugged a bit. "It's not like I care about anyone outside the rain village. Why should I care what the other villages decide to label me as? I've lived with you all for a long time. I've considered anyone who is your enemy as my enemy for years. This just makes it official."

"Sasuke." Itachi sighed. "That may be so, but by being labeled an official criminal, it closes so many doors. You can't participate in the chuunin exam, you can't meet people from other villages, you'll be unable to learn jutsu from those villages, you'll never be able to do something as simple as dining out or stay in a hotel while out on a mission if your criminal status grows too much. You'd have to have a hinge on constantly. It's so much stress. It'd be much simpler to just take down the problem now by allying yourself with Suna. If Suna sides with you, they have multiple peace treaties. Their allies will surely follow. The leaf can't afford to start a war with Suna over protecting criminals after the huge blow they took recently. Now is the best time to strike up a peaceful conversation. They'll likely remove you from the list, if so."

Giving a frustrated sigh, Sasuke glanced down a bit. "I don't want to talk to Suna," he admitted. "I know they couldn't hurt me while you're near, but I don't want to see them." looking down to his lap. "I don't care if I can't move up in the ninja program. I can just live my life in the rain village. I can read up on jutsus. I'm fine with using a hinge if I have to. As long as I have the Akatsuki and my siblings, it doesn't matter." he gritted his teeth lightly, hanging his head.

He seethed for a light moment, and the elder ninja allowed it without interrupting him. It was understandable that Sasuke wouldn't want to make peace with one of the villages that had brutally tortured him for something he never even did. If Sasuke truely was against it, they'd find another way. Still, it was the easiest and would have the least casualties.

Sasuke seemed to realize this too, luckily, the teen letting out a soft breath as he finished his mental tantrum. He knew his parents and brother were right. This was the safest option for not only him but his siblings as well. Not to mention, if they made peace with Suna, it would allow a lot more leniency for the Akatsuki as well. So much good could come from this, should he let it. Not to mention, he supposed it would be best to erase his name from the list as soon as possible. It was small now, but he'd rather not be jumped every time he stopped for a snack. It would be rather annoying. In the end, he supposed it was for the best, even if he didn't like it.

His shoulders lowered a bit, looking off to the side. "Fine. I can...see the reasoning. It makes the most sense to join Suna. Honestly, it'd be foolish to not join them." sulking a bit despite himself. He growled out, "They better not try to take Gaara from us." crossing his arms a bit. He'd fucking kill them if they did that. Kage or not.

Konan lightly ran her fingers through his hair to calm him, seeing his frustration at the situation. "Don't worry. No one is taking anyone from us. We'll hold the meeting somewhere off in another village or territory in case it goes wrong. That way they won't be able to track us. We'll keep you all safe." she promised.

Itachi nodded, "We'll have the entire Akatsuki there too. No one will lay a finger on you or anyone else we decide needs to come to this meeting. The only way you'll get a scratch is over our dead bodies." he agreed.

Sasuke felt a bit better at this, feeling Nagato lightly pat his knee. He looked up a bit, seeing a thin smile on the red-head's face. "Sasuke. Your family will be there with you this time. Don't worry." the man standing and helping Sasuke do the same. Sasuke felt Nagato's small frame wrap around him, the taller ninja's arms patting the back of his head so that Sasuke was leaning on his chest. The teen hesitantly wrapped his arms back around Nagato. He loved the man, yes, but it was unlike him to be so open with his affections. He was normally so reserved, it was strange to see him be the one to move in for a hug. None the less, Sasuke found his steady heartbeat relaxing as any lullaby.

Lightly nuzzling his face into Nagato's shoulder, Sasuke relaxed a bit more. It would be fine, he reasoned. This was for both his and his family's benefit. Besides, Gaara deserved to see his birth siblings if he wanted to. It was his right, one Sasuke wouldn't take away from him. I'll be strong, Sasuke promised himself.


	48. Invite

It was around night time as Temari got the message. She had been sitting alone in her room, the girl half hunched on her bed. Her hair was let down, ruffles of blonde hair reaching about to her shoulder. Her fan was off to the side, though she quickly grabbed for it when she heard a bang from behind her.

She shot to her feet, a fan held in front of her quickly in defense. "Who's there!?" she barked out, her voice not wavering despite her restlessness. She hadn't slept well in weeks, not since she learned that her brother could be alive. She'd spent every waking moment sending scouts and forces to search in the surrounding areas for this 'Akatsuki' that had been spotted rescuing Sasuke in the leaf. They had to be the ones who took her younger brother.

Temari saw the shadow of a man in her window for a brief moment before the man stepped into her room through the window. He had bright orange hair and piercing purple eyes, sending her on high alert. It sounded just like the description of the one who had to lead the attack on Konoha. She lifted her fan in defense, circling the room slowly in an attempt to make it to her door without turning her back to the man.

Just as she was about to make it to her door, however, she heard a slam. She turned her attention from the window to the door for a brief second, noticing another man there as well. He looked strikingly similar to the one in the window, though his hair was long and pulled into a ponytail. Their hair and eyes were so close, though, she was sure they were either from the same clan or had some sort of relation. That wasn't her biggest concern, though.

Her biggest concern was that the one with the ponytail had closed her door. She growled, "Well! Say something! What do you two want?" she demanded, the fan still drawn, ready to fight at any moment if one of them made a move. She had bounded back to one of the corners of the room so that she could better see them both.

She wasn't prepared for a light sigh to leave the one in the window. "Do not mind him. He is merely a puppet. He poses you no threat, and neither do I."

Temari narrowed her eyes at him. Yeah, like hell if she believed that. The man continued, however, "You are acting as the Kazekage if I am correct? You are the eldest of the Kazekage clan, Temari?" the man jumping in from the window, at last, landing on the floor with a solid 'thud'. He glanced at the door, "Then the one outside the door must be Kankuro, I presume." the long-haired man opening the door, a boy tumbling in from where he'd been eavesdropping. "I suppose the noise must have drawn him." Nagato mused lightly, watching the boy fall forward without the door to lean on.

Temari sent her brother a warning glare as the boy sat up, lightly rubbing his face from where he'd fallen. Kankuro stumbled up, quickly trying to get into a defensive position. The orange man didn't stop the children as they watched him with defensive looks, though the long-haired man did close the door once more. Kankuro growled, going on separate sides of the room from his sister so that they wouldn't be knocked out in one hit if attacked. Kankuro had his hat off, his face paint removed for the night as well. The teen growled out, "That's us, but who the hell are you?"

The orange-haired man looked over at the two children and sighed a bit. Being a father must have really worn down his ruthlessness, he noted. Watching the two teens try to act dominating was pitiful once he noticed the fearful glint in their eyes. He spoke with seriousness none the less, "I am Nagato Uzumaki. The father of Neji, Karin, Sasuke, Naruto, Gaara, and Hinata." narrowing his eyes a bit at the hateful glares of the teens.

"You are not Gaara's father, and those are not his siblings. His father is dead, and he's been separated from his siblings because of your sick mental manipulation." Temari accused, opening up her fan as she spoke. How dare this man claims her brother as his own?

Nagato looked at the girl with interest, tilting his head to the side with a light musing, "Your own, you say? Mental manipulation?" idly walking around the room, watching as the teens became alert, trying to hide their nerves in front of him. "Strange, That's not how I remember it happening when I took him in."

"Well, what other possibility is there? You stole children from their homes! From their clans! You kidnapped them then forced them to fall in line with you. Playing family...you have Sasuke brainwashed right and proper, don't you?" Temari shot back. "If you honestly think you were in the right when you took them, you're demented."

Nagato nodded a bit, "I certainly wouldn't say I'm completely sane, but I'd not go so far as to say I'm demented." he mused. "When I took those kids, it was for the best." he corrected, lightly rubbing his fingers together as he spoke idly. "Neji was enslaved, Karin was being held against her will by a village who only wanted to suck her dry, Sasuke was left all alone without an ounce of comfort from the village." he counted off, "Naruto was mistreated and abandoned for reasons he knew nothing of, Gaara had a price put on his head simply because the Kazekage couldn't control him, and dear Hinata was an unwanted and emotionally abused heiress."

He didn't give either of the siblings time to respond as he carried on, "Now they wake up each morning to a nice breakfast with others who have shared their pains. They learn new jutsu, train in the woods together, cause mischief in the village, bicker, and laugh together. All under the protection of one of the strongest groups in all of the ninja nations. No one can lay a hand on them...not without getting hurt." he mused lightly, watching as Kankuro resisted a flinch at his words. "They've lived out their lives in bliss for the last few years. It only became particularly painful for them when their old villages decided to retaliate." he sighed.

Kankuro looked unconvinced as he spoke, "You Akatsuki bastards are the ones who attacked the villages first! The Kazekage and the Hokage, both dead because you decided to return years after kidnapping the kids to end them!" he growled out, only resisting attacking Nagato due to his sister's warning glare.

"Incorrect once again." Nagato corrected. "We took the kids then went on with our lives. Immediately after taking the kids, the villages continued to act up, so we had to leave a heavy lesson by doing some property damage. That seemed to stop the search groups for a while." he nodded. "Unfortunately, the villages seem quite annoyed at the fact their trophy children and tools were taken. I'm not a fool. I've seen both Konoha's spy network and Suna's special forces snooping around where they shouldn't be. They've laid low, but not low enough. The children are unaware as we tend to prevent them from being exposed to too much news about it, but we know. We've known for a long time that your search has never ended, plus you've included other villages' special forces in the search. Now that the children are old enough to become official ninja, we can't have people constantly looking for them." he narrowed his eyes.

Nagato eyed the two, the man feeling like he'd gotten the warning part of his message through well enough based on the way the proud and strong teens were watching him uncomfortably. He settled on a thin but warning smile, "While we realize that it must have been painful to lose your father, I believe we mark even now. Considering you for some reason decided to beat the person who protected you both until he was a bloody wobbly mess."

Kankuro opened his mouth to object along with Temari, but their defenses were shut down quickly by Nagato. "I'm not interested in hearing your reasons. You acted out of pain and chose to inflict it onto him. It's a cycle, one I'm well aware of. Once I'm interested in breaking, if you'll allow it." he noted with a thin smile. The teens clearly weren't prepared for that.

Nagato handed them over an envelope. "In this envelope is a place and time. Meet us there if you're interested in discussing the terms of peace with the Akatsuki." he nodded. "You're free to bring up to ten guards along with your selves, of any skill level. Do know that the more aggressive you seem, the less likely Gaara will be to relax with you there," he warned.

Temari took the envelope with unsure fingers, not fully trusting it yet. "Gaara...will join you for this meeting?" looking up at the taller man. She'd easily kill for a chance to see her younger brother again after so many years.

A nod came from Nagato. "Yes. So far I plan on bringing four Akatsuki members along with me as well as four of the children," he explained. "Another of which will be Sasuke. He will be attending to make sure he agrees to the conditions of our peace contract. Should he not, it will have to be revised or destroyed. Though, I do hope that can be avoided."

Kankuro furrowed his brows, "Four of the kids? Why are the other two necessary?" he asked with confusion. It shouldn't need more than Sasuke and Gaara, right?

"They'll want their siblings there." Nagato nodded a bit. "Think of it like this, I'm sure you'll both want to go if you agree to come. It'd be stressful to go alone in an area with possible enemies. Peace is difficult to make." turning towards the window once more. "I've given you your ticket to peace with the Akatsuki. Whether you use it or not is up to you. Do know that this will be your only chance at seeing Gaara on friendly terms, should you refuse our offer." he warned. Just like that, he was out the window, the ling haired man by the door gone as well. As if they'd never even been there to begin with.


	49. Teach Me?

Sasuke sat outside, in the backyard of their house to be exact. He sat in the grass, watching Neji and Hinata practice their taijutsu in the nearby training area. It was fairly interesting, actually. Watching as they moved across the field with such swift and precise movements. It was almost like a dance, the way they moved.

The teen had his Sharingan activated, watching it all his high detail. He could see the way their chakra's moved in perfect balance with the energies around them despite not being used. It was amazing, truely. A rainbow of colors illuminated off the area, Sasuke resting calmly on his back as he watched them from a safe distance. He found that he was able to predict their movements even before they happened since their chakras would pulse at the part of their body they were preparing to move.

Neji didn't seem to mind it, glad to show off his taijutsu skills in front of his younger rival. He didn't pay Sasuke much mind, the Uchiha having already asked them permission to watch beforehand. Neji wasn't sure what he hoped to gain by watching them train, but he wouldn't stop Sasuke. They might be rivals, but that was meant to help them push each other forward. Not to sabotage their skills and shove each other for the top spot. They were rivals, not enemies. Because of this, he had no issue with helping Sasuke with his skills.

Hinata, on the other hand, found it much harder to fight with someone watching them. She would feel a rush of embarrassment every time she misstepped or was counter-attacked, and a wave of stress each time she moved in for a heavy move. She knew Sasuke wasn't judging her, as well as that she was younger than Neji, yet she still felt nervous each time her skills proved insignificant. She never had been the best at fighting, even with her vast improvement since she joined the Akatsuki family. It simply wasn't something she enjoyed. None the less, it was a necessary precaution for her to know how to fight. Spirit forbid she be attacked and unable to defend herself.

Their training came to a stop as Neji send a particularly harsh kick to her knee, the girl's leg giving out and her body crashing into the grass below. Neji held up his hand as if to give the finishing blow, stopping directly in front of her face. The fight was over and done with. He held out a hand, helping his sister up. "You're improving, Hinata. You've just got to learn to focus and not hold back." Neji noted, wiping a bit of sweat from his cheek.

A voice sounding off from behind them drew both the Hyuuga's attention. Sasuke asked with interest, "I'd understand if you were against the idea since it's your clan's style, but I was curious. Since I can see chakra and general energy now, do you think you could show me how to block off chakra points?" eyeing the two idly from the grass.

Neji and Hinata both looked surprised at this since it was typically unheard of for clans to share their fighting styles, but it quickly eased away after a moment. Really, what harm was there in sharing their skills? The only thing that would happen would be that Sasuke would have a new fighting style to look to if his normal one was unusable. By showing him, all they'd be doing is helping him become stronger. There was no harm in helping an ally.

The elder of the two Hyuuga nodded, "I think that's a great idea. In turn, you can show us some of your clan's shuriken moves. Or your ninjutsu" he suggested. After all, the Uchiha were well known for their expert use of ninja tools, specifically the shuriken. Plus Neji and Hinata weren't anywhere near as good at ninjutsu as Sasuke. They were better in the taijutsu field, but it never hurt to expand.

Sasuke nodded, "Sounds like a good deal to me." he agreed, sitting up from his spot on the ground. He rolled his neck briefly before moving to his feet, dusting the grass off his pants.

His attention was drawn as he felt Neji walk past him, the elder teen noting, "We can train you today, then you can show us some shuriken tricks tomorrow. It's almost noon, so we shouldn't start more than one thing." he noted. "We can do it inside. You'll need to learn the chakra points and how it flows first of all. It's easier to learn while your sitting than in real-time training."

Sasuke nodded, following, Neji and Hinata leading him inside. Hinata nodded in agreement, "We can explain it in Neji and my room. It's the probably got the most space." as in, it was the neatest along with Sasuke's. Plus it would be more comfortable for them to teach him in their own rooms.

The three-headed into Neji and Hinata's bedroom, the eldest shutting the door behind him while Hinata worked to scoot the beds over a bit to either side of the room. This way, they'd have the entire center open and ready for use. The girl sat in the center of the room, onto the soft carpet, patting the spot beside her with a smile. Sasuke did as she asked, sitting down beside her. Neji soon headed over, sitting beside them. "Alright, first of all, let's do a vision test to see if you can see all the details of the chakra. Or if it's a general thing."

Sasuke watched as Neji handed his wrist over, instructing him, "Focus in on my chakra. Can you see which way it's flowing?" the elder watching as Sasuke flashed his Sharingan on, his mangekyo design pulsing a bit as he watched Neji's arm.

Giving a nod in confirmation, Sasuke lightly traced along where he could see it flowing for a small moment. "It's going that way, I believe." though he was unsure due to the excessive amounts of chakra Neji had pulsing through him. It was hard to separate the different flowing lines, but he could definitely see it. It was like a network of rivers, all connecting at one point or another. Just like they'd learned back in the academy. To see it was something else entirely, though. "The lines are merging a bit closely to me, though. So I'm not sure." rubbing lightly at his Sharingan as he watched the flowing chakra. He felt a headache coming on.

Hinata tilted her head a bit, asking, "Do any of the spots look different to you? Like, different colors, brighter, darker?" she listed off, watching him with curiosity. She wasn't sure what the differences would be in their vision, or if there would be any at all.

"Kind of." he nodded, pointing gently to a spot on Neji's wrist. "There's a little aura of green-blueish right there." he squinted a bit. "It's hard to see, though." his eyes flinching shut as he spoke. He had been using them all afternoon, plus he hadn't really built up a tolerance for them yet. So he supposed that must be the reason he felt so tired.

Neji tilted his head a bit in interest, looking the younger teen over. "If I had to guess, you're having the same issue most young Hyuuga have. It happens to most byakugan users when they first start testing out their abilities. Your eyes will need some time to get used to seeing all the chakra. I assume the energy is a lot for them too." he suggested. He smirked lightly, reaching out to mockingly pull on Sasuke's cheek, "You're like a Hyuuga toddler, finally learning to use his Byakugan. Big brother is so proud." only to get his hand swatted away by a grumpy looking Sasuke.

"Oh, save it, egomaniac." Sasuke huffed, deactivating his Sharingan. Hinata gave a muffled laugh at her brothers, Sasuke giving her a salty glare. "Don't laugh at me." though it held no malice. He crossed his arms, flopping on his back as he heard Neji begin speaking once more.

"Well, you should probably just focus on separating the chakra veins for now. No way you can push chakra points without being able to see them clearly. You could push the wrong pressure point and kill them on accident. Just focus on that for a while, then we'll teach you which ones to push and how hard." he promised.

Sasuke huffed a bit at that, but the use of the Sharingan was making his head hurt a bit, so he settled on a light nod. "Fine, fine. We shouldn't get too into training tonight anyway. The meeting is coming up soon anyway." he agreed.

Hinata tilted her head a bit, "Dad told you about the meeting too?" having not been sure who which of her siblings would be going. After all, he had only invited her and told her that at a maximum four of her siblings would be going too. She hadn't known who they would be, though she had her suspicions.

Sasuke nodded, glancing at the two Hyuuga from his spot slumped idly on the floor. "Gaara, me, and you are the only people I've heard about going." glancing over at Neji. "Did dad invite you too?" not able to see him inviting Naruto or Karin. Sasuke loved his siblings, but they were a bit much when it came to a disagreement. They weren't exactly 'diplomatic' so to speak.

A firm nod came from the elder teen, Neji looking down at the younger as he spoke, "Yes, he did." glancing at the two. "If I had to guess, I'd say we're the only of our siblings he invited besides Gaara."

"Why only us?" Hinata asked with a slight tilt of her head. She understood that Sasuke and Gaara were pretty important to the meeting, but what purpose did she and Neji serve?

Neji lightly ran his fingers through his hair as he spoke, listing off the reasons. "Gaara will have to come because they're his siblings. Sasuke because he's the one they'll need forgiveness from. You'll most likely be going because you're the most likely to be open to peace. You do normally tend to be the one to think of peaceful solutions. Then I presume I'll be going because I'm the most realistic out of us all. I'll probably be helping mainly with negotiations." he suggested.

"The fact that you're 80 percent of our emotional control helps too." a quiet voice came from behind them. Neji glanced over his shoulder to see Gaara standing in the now open doorway, leaning on the door frame. The red-head was leaning on his hands, which were resting behind his back. "Kakuzu saids its lunchtime," he explained, not wanting to seem like he'd been eavesdropping on them. He just happened to overhear some of their conversations.

As Hinata and the boys moved to stand up, they heard Gaara's unsure request, "Can you not call them my siblings, please?" he asked the others, having heard how Neji referred to them moments earlier. He just didn't feel comfortable with calling them something so intimate. After all this time, he really didn't know who those people were. They were just a pair who shared his blood and claimed to care about him. It was true that their affection for him was likely true, but that didn't change the one simple face-- Gaara didn't know them besides the brief moments they'd stared him down with fear when he was little. They weren't his siblings, not like Hinata or Naruto, for instance.

Sasuke and the others seemed to understand this, the raven-haired boy nodding in understanding. "Okay. I won't." he agreed easily, moving to join Gaara, and idly wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "Let's hurry downstairs before Kakuzu yells at us," he suggested, Neji and Hinata nodding in agreement. Soon enough, the trio made their way downstairs.

Oh, joy, redesigned leftovers from last night. Neji gave a small mental 'tch' of annoyance. What a surprise.


	50. Split

The teens ate lunch, each of them downing their pork sandwiches made with the leftovers from the night prior's dinner. Well, besides Sasuke, who settled for quietly sipping his pumpkin soup. It was also reused from the night prior's roasted pumpkin. They all seemed to be enjoying the food well enough, though they didn't exactly have a choice on whether they ate it or not. Kakuzu wasn't exactly planning on letting them waste the food. He never did. They sat at the table together, Kakuzu talking to Hidan about a mission off in the distance, though the elder would occasionally send them looks of warning if they stopped eating for too long.

All the other members were out on missions, so it was up to the teens to entertain themselves and hopefully behave for the zombie duo. The pair was definitely the grumpiest couple in the Akatsuki, so the kids didn't plan on pissing them off any time soon. They'd rather avoid an hour-long scolding. It wasn't like the immortals cared to spend their time doing it.

Karin was the first to speak as they sat down, the girl giving Naruto a pointed look. "What are you pouting about now?" she sighed in annoyance. A sulky and quiet Naruto was almost as annoying as loud and obnoxious Naruto. It was unnatural. "Stop your sulking and eat before Kakuzu gets onto us." she rolled her eyes as she took a bite of her sandwich. Honestly, her siblings could be such a hand full at times.

Naruto seemed uninterested in her advice, behaving as immaturely as always. He put his hands on his hips, "What are you pouting about now?" he mocked her voice, earning him a swat over the head from Sasuke. "Ow! Bastard." he barked out, giving Sasuke a look of pure annoyance. Why was the Uchiha always so damn pushy? Naruto silently asked himself, ignoring how hypocritical it was.

"Shut up if you aren't going to answer her question." Sasuke scoffed, sipping from his bowl without sparing Naruto even a glance. He barely seemed to put much thought into his words, that or he didn't care to listen for the blonde's response. Naruto sent him a steamed look, but before he could answer, Sasuke shot him down. "So, go ahead and tell us, since I know you're too loudmouthed to choose shutting up."

The blonde gave Sasuke an unimpressed look, "Oh, look at me, I'm Sasuke, too cool to look at people when they're talking." he scoffed, a scolding tone catching him off guard from across the table. Ah, shit.

"Naruto, you shouldn't mock people when they're asking what's wrong. They're just trying to help." Hinata's soft chiding came in between bites. Sasuke felt a wave of smugness, but it quickly melted as she continued, "Sasuke, you shouldn't hit people either. You know you're just adding fuel to the fire." she scolded, Sasuke now joining Naruto in his sulking. If Hinata chooses to scold you, you're surely at fault at least a bit.

Sasuke and Naruto rang out in a duet of apologies, the teens a bit grumbly as they did so. Hinata smiled in response at them, quickly easing their moods. Ah, well. At least she didn't stay long for mad. That would be a real disaster to deal with. "Now, anyway, what's wrong?" the girl tilting her head a bit at Naruto as she spoke. She didn't know for sure, but she had her suspicions. After all, Naruto wasn't the most difficult to read. Especially considering she had lived with him for about half her life. It didn't make it hard to guess.

The blonde sank down in his chair, taking a bitter bite out of his sandwich. "Dad told me about the meeting. It's a shitty idea," he muttered, looking displeased. Hinata sighed a bit. She figured this was why he was in such a foul mood. "We shouldn't be making deals with them. They're the only ones who should be apologizing! Not us." he spoke, brows furrowing in aggravation.

Neji had a tired look, the eldest of the siblings knowing he was about to get a lot of shit for what he thought. "Naruto." he breathed out, taking a bite from his food. "I know you're upset about what they did, but it makes sense if you think about it from their perspective. If we want to gain a little, we'll have to give a little. It may not be the most enjoyable option, but-" his words being cut off by a hand slamming on the table.

Karin looked beyond upset, the girl glaring kunai at Neji as he spoke with outrage. "Makes sense? Makes sense? Makes sense! What do you mean, it makes sense!" she growled out. "They beat and sliced him nearly to death! How could us apologizing to them make sense in any way?" she argued, drawing the attention of first Kakuzu then Hidan. The zombie duo didn't move to stop the argument, only observing as they heard the girl's outburst. Well, that was strange. It was extremely rare for them to fight, but when they did, it was normally just typical sibling arguing. They rarely became so heated over a serious conflict in perspective.

It seemed like the overall opinion was against Neji since Gaara was looking down at his lap in refusal to speak up while Hinata was watching them both with wide-eyed stares. The two seemed either determined or unable to voice their opinions. Luckily for Neji, at least one person was willing to take his side. Even if it was an unlikely ally.

"They were scared and confused. We don't have to like it, but we can at least try to understand why they acted that way. Their dad is dead and they think their sibling has been brainwashed. From their eyes, it's our fault. It was technically the Akatsuki who killed the Kazekage and disappeared with Gaara. It sucks, but it's understandable that they'd want an apology. It's not going to kill us to exchange apologies." Sasuke spoke, much to Naruto's frustration.

The blonde argued, "It's not your fault! It's Temari and Kankuro's fault. They're in the wrong. Not you, not us. So we shouldn't have to apologize for anything. You didn't even fight them, but they still attacked you!" he fought back, crossing his arms. Didn't this bastard see that he was trying to help him? Why was he arguing against the ones on his side!?

A long sigh came from Neji as he spoke, "I'm not saying it's Sasuke's fault, nor that I think they're in the right. I know that they're bastards. I know what they did was messed up. I am fully aware that they took it out on the wrong person. That doesn't change the fact if we look from their perspective, we can see why they're angry and what the best way to pacify this is. We can avoid any of us getting hurt like that too if we make them allies." he tried to explain, though Naruto seemed to be having none of it.

"They should be sorry. Not us. The Akatsuki wouldn't have had to kill the Kazekage or take Gaara if they weren't such shitty people." he shot back, crossing his arms. "We shouldn't have to apologize after what they did to Sasuke just to make sure none of us get hurt. The Akatsuki could take anyone on, and so could we if we wanted to." Naruto spoke with absolute confidence. Neji mentally sighed. Naruto truely was set on not listening.

Gaara gave Naruto a look, the teen seeming disappointed in Naruto's words. He knew it was most likely a simple 'heat of the moment' thought on Naruto's end, but it was still wrong none the less. Gaara of all people would know how Naruto was feeling. He'd felt it many times before, after all. "Naruto, just because we can hurt someone doesn't mean we should." the redhead corrected lightly, looking conflicted.

Naruto gave him a look of disappointment, "So you're on the bastards' side?" seeming annoyed by the thought. Seeing Gaara quickly shake his head, Naruto brightened up. "So you're on my side, then," he spoke smugly. Neji and Sasuke were giving Gaara pleading looks, which quickly warped to confusion as the teen shook his head once more. If he wasn't on their side, but he wasn't on Naruto's side, what other option was there? Did he agree that they should give the sand siblings a chance or not?

Gaara looked overwhelmed, the redhead standing up, and looking over at Kakuzu. "Can we be excused, please?" knowing the man didn't like it when they wasted food but not wanting to sit in the middle of this argument. He didn't want to sit here eating while they argued like cats and dogs. Not to mention the fact that it was even more conflicting, considering he was related by blood to the others in question. Whether he saw them as siblings or not, that much was a fact that couldn't be changed. Of course the teen would feel awkward sitting in the middle of such an argument.

Kakuzu must have decided to take pity on the boy since he gave a firm nod. "Fine, but take your food with you. Finish it. If you take it to one of the other rooms, don't make a mess with it." he warned, not wanting them to accidentally spill the food on the floor or something. It would be a nightmare to get rib sauce out of the carpets. He'd not normally let them take food from the table, but he could see the pleading look in Gaara's eyes. He supposed he could let it slip, just this once.

Kakuzu mentally groaned as Hidan smirked at him. Damn, those kids made him soft. What a pain in the ass.

A guilty look flashed over Neji's face as he saw Gaara stand up from his seat. He hadn't meant to start an argument, he just wanted the others to understand that apologizing was necessary if they wanted a peaceful agreement. Karin watched Gaara stand with his plate, the girl looking at him with disbelief. "Gaara, where are you going?" she asked, watching as Gaara lightly tugged Hinata's sleeve, the girl nodding and moving to stand up. "Hinata? What's wrong?"

The girl looked frustrated as she picked up her plate, tailing behind Gaara. "We have no interest in squabbling." she gave a sour look at the remaining four siblings. "We're family. We should be able to talk it out without raising voices or calling each other names," she spoke with a look of disapproval as she turned to leave. "We also don't pick sides on things like this. We're all on the same side, we aren't enemies."

The remaining siblings were left in bitter silence, knowing she had a point, but disagreeing strongly with each other. Naruto was too thick-skulled to listen to the other's points, Karin and Neji were too sure that their point was correct, then finally, Sasuke was damn sure he knew whether he wanted to give them a chance at peace. It was his fucking body. It was up to him whether he'd give and accept and apology for what had happened.


	51. Idols

The next morning, Hinata had woken up early. Her siblings all seemed to be asleep for now. Well, besides Neji, but he had headed out in the early morning for training with Sasuke. As such, she didn't see any sign of him. For now, she settled on making some morning tea in the kitchen.

She had decided last night that she would need to be up early if she wanted to return by nightfall. As chaotic as things had been the last few weeks, she still had school tomorrow. She had taken a break recently to focus on her family, but she couldn't get too far behind. Now that Sasuke was back, safe, and mostly healed, she needed to return soon.

It was a bit boring, being the only one of her siblings still in school. Even so, there wasn't much she could do since she was the youngest. She mentally pouted as she prepared her tea. She didn't care much for that boring school.

She was the eldest in her class now, and on one hand, she loved keeping an eye on the younger ones and helping them grow. On the other, though, it was a bit disappointing to have to hold back against all the younger classmen.

Hinata was easily strong enough to graduate, it was just that pesky age requirement. She mentally sighed-- Konoha ninja got to graduate as soon as they were strong enough. Then again, she supposed most Konoha ninja didn't take on the hard missions the members of the Rain village had to.

She was pulled out of her sulkings as she heard the voice of her favorite conversationist.

Itachi quirked a brow at the girl, musing, "You're up early." the kids not normally waking until one of the members came to drag them out of bed for breakfast.

Well, besides Neji and Sasuke, but those two had become early risers in recent years. Itachi had seen Neji head out earlier, Sasuke not far behind. Neji had mentioned something about training with Sasuke's 'Baby Byakugan'? Whatever that was, Itachi hadn't questioned it as he saw Sasuke sending glares at Neji for it.

Hinata, on the other hand, was up much earlier than normal. As such, Itachi was curious. The girl merely shrugged as she set the kettle to heat up. "I'm planning on heading out today. I probably won't be back until later if I don't leave early." she lightly played with the sleeves on her cloud covered pajamas, "I'm going to the leaf, so you know."

She wasn't at all surprised as Itachi's brows shot up, but his expression remained calm otherwise. He sipped from his drink, musing, "I see. Will you be taking anyone else with you?" frowning thinly behind his teacup as she shook her head back and forth gently. "Is there something particular your looking to do?"

"Yes." she nodded lightly, taking the tea off of the stove as she spoke, pouring it into a cup. "We've discovered that Sasuke's Mangekyou functions partly like a Byakugan, but with a lot of extra details. So I wanted to go and get some of the practice charts young Hyuuga use. It'll help him move along quicker." she explained, smiling thinly in amusement, "As long as he doesn't kill me for suggesting them." she joked lightly, earning a soft chuckle from the elder ninja.

Itachi praised, "That's very thoughtful of you." though, he added lightly, "Especially after Kakuzu and Hidan mentioned that you all had a little fight yesterday at lunch. What was that all about?" speaking calmly to the girl who lightly played with her hair.

Hinata nodded lightly, sitting beside Itachi with her tea to drink it with him. Out of all the people in the compound, he was the easiest for her to talk to without feeling judged. Plus he was probably one of the few who would understand her stance on not wanting to pick sides. "Yeah." she lightly sturred her tea, "Naruto and Karin are angry that we're going to try to make peace with the villages." She explained, "Then Sasuke and Neji are saying it's for the best, to make sure nothing like that happens again."

"Oh?" Itachi asked with light interest, his tone calm and unjudging. "How do you feel about it?" he quirked a brow lightly as he watched the girl looking down into her tea, taking small sips. Hinata was always so calm and timid, but never a pushover when it came to protecting her siblings. That much was obvious from the very beginning-- something Karin had learned when she had first arrived.

She bit her lip lightly as she pondered the question lightly, knowing that Itachi was never one to rush for answers. Once she was comfortable with how to word it, she admitted, "I don't want to pick a side. Everyone is just upset right now. I understand why Naruto and Karin would feel that way, but it doesn't give them the right to say that Neji doesn't care about Sasuke." she shook her head back and forth lightly.

"Then I can see why Neji feels like its the best chance at avoiding another accident, but he's so busy looking at it from the sand's perspective that he isn't even considering Naruto or Karin's. Not to mention, Sasuke seems like he's trying to do what's best, but he's clearly not really comfortable with seeing them again. Then there's Gaara telling us not to call them his siblings, but this all has to be hard for him." she sighed as her small ramble came to an end, "I just don't want to take a side because I know all the sides make sense. We shouldn't be working against each other."

Itachi was quiet for a moment, not that Hinata minded. It just meant that he was considering all the different angles, she figured. The teen relaxed lightly in the silence, almost startling as she finally heard Itachi's reply. "You are correct. You all shouldn't be working against each other." he mused. "There are no 'sides' to pick. Even if you all are going about it in different ways, you all want the same thing. You want for Sasuke to be safe and for Gaara to remain out of harm's way. Despite the bickering, you all ultimately want for all your siblings to be safe. Perhaps they just need to be reminded of that." Itachi advised, standing to set his cup in the sink.

Taking another long and quiet sip from her cup, Hinata nodded lightly. That was true. She knew none of her siblings would wish harm on each other, even if they were having a disagreement. The question was just how to get them to understand this. By being straight forward or giving a little nudge? Well, Karin and Naruto probably wouldn't be able to just talk it out without starting a fight. Then Neji, Sasuke, and Gaara would probably sense the nudge pretty easily. She'd have to think it over for a bit, she decided.

She stood, finishing her tea and setting it in the sink as well. On habit, she moved to hug Itachi at the waste, who easily returned it by hugging her around the shoulders and giving her a light pat on the head. She gave her thanks, preparing to head back upstairs to change when she heard Itachi suggest, "You are going into territory that we aren't on very good terms with. You should take someone with you." he noted.

Hinata nodded lightly, releasing Itachi from the hug as she tilted her head, "Is Gaara alright to bring?" she suggested. That way it didn't seem like she was picking sides to the others. Seeing Itachi's affirming nod, she gave a light smile. "Thank you. I'll go get dressed then ask him. We can get breakfast on the way."

"Alright, but make sure it's not too sugary. You don't need a sugar high while you're trying to be sneaky," he added, watching as she headed upstairs with a nod of confirmation.

The Hyuuga headed to her room to change from her pajamas. She slipped on a long-sleeved purple shirt with some plain black pants, settling on her normal shoes as well. Her weapon satch was attached to her thigh as usual. She brushed her hair briefly, pulling it back into a low pony-tail. Hinata glanced herself over in the mirror, stretching lightly before moving down the hallway.

She peeked into Gaara's bedroom to find him quietly stretched out of the bed, awake but not quite up yet. She figured she might as well ask now since he had glanced over at her with a slight yawn as she appeared, the red-head sitting up. Hinata noted, "I'm heading to the leaf village to pick up some things from the Hyuuga compound. Want to come with?" tilting her head lightly.

Wiping the sleep from his eyes, Gaara shrugged, standing. "Sure. I'll be down soon."

Which had been true, since within ten minutes of Hinata waiting in the living room, Gaara had shown up looking awake and ready to go? He wore a simple brown top with black bottoms, eyeliner as impeccable as always. Hinata smiled thinly in greeting, taking his hand lightly and leading him towards the door. "We can get breakfast on the way. What do you want to eat?" She tilted her head as they headed into the village with an umbrella kept at the doorway, the two sliding on their straw hats too since they'd need them to hide their faces once they left the Rain Village.

He tilted his head, suggesting, "We could get some breakfast burritos." since that way they could request specifics inside. After all, Gaara knew his taste in food differed drastically from his siblings, especially Hinatas. This way they could have what they both wanted.

Hinata seemed happy with this compromise, nodding, "That sounds good to me." giving a slight smile as they headed out of the village. They sat their umbrellas by the front gate as per usual, waving the village guards goodbye. Something suddenly occurred to her as they were walking, the teen blinking lightly as she walked beside Gaara. This was there first time outside the village without any adults with them. Hm. It couldn't be that different, right?

She glanced at Gaara, who was quietly glancing around as they walked. She mused lightly. It was much easier to enjoy the scenery when the others weren't starting arguments every fine minute. The green landscape was fairly calming when combined with the light breeze.

Well, it was, until about halfway through the trip. An echoing and dramatic cry of, "How unyoungthful!" bellowed through the wind, disturbing the peace. Hinata and Gaara both startled at that, glancing at each other. Who in the world-.


	52. Was The Leaf Always So Odd?

They were in the middle of the forest, headed towards Konoha. It was such a secluded path, though. That must mean that the one crying out was a ninja. The only issue with that, though, was the unlikeliness of it. What kind of ninja cried out like that? It would be an idiotic move. Anyone nearby could hear you, for crying out loud! It was a quick road to death.

So the guy must not be very well trained, even if he was a ninja. Gaara mentally sighed, glancing over at his sister who nodded silently in turn. They should probably go check it out, on the off chance that it was a non-ninja. They rather not leave someone helpless in the forest if they could help it. Even if they were from another village, they had been raised better than that.

The two silently headed in the direction of the bellowing voice, stopping when they came to a cramped opening. This section of the forest seemed rather narrow, Hinata noted with a small frown. There were so many trees clumped together that there was barely space for a wagon to pass through. Roots from the trees flowed over the ground, some small, some large and thick. Shadows from the tall trees were cast down, the sun's rays barely passing through to shine a light on the small group.

Looking over the group, Gaara and Hinata both easily realized that these weren't citizens. They were members of the Hidden Leaf ninja system, based on their outfits. It looked like there were a total of four people-- that was standard for most villages. Three ninjas and one kunoichi. There also appeared to be a dog with them for some reason?

The eldest one there was probably their sensei, then. The man looked rather unusual by most people's standards, but neither Hinata nor Gaara noted this. After all, they had grown up in the Akatsuki. It wasn't like the members were known to be particularly social-friendly.

What they did notice, was that one of the members of the team looked like a cloned copy of him. Glancing them both over, Hinata easily noticed the identical bowl-cut and green jumpsuit. The boy must look up to his sensei a lot, Gaara noted. They even shared those eyebrows.

From the looks of it, it had been the jonin to call out. The man had a hand dramatically over his heart, looking at the male ninja that was holding a dog. The boy had short and shaggy brown hair, red markings, and sharp teeth easily identifying him as a member of the Inuzuka clan. The dog was probably a good indicator too, of course. The boy seemed annoyed, the white and brown dog whining against its partner's jacket. "Oh, drop the 'unyoungthful' crap, sensei! We've been out here for days. He's gone! Probably dead! It sucks, but we should collect our losses and head home." he sounded tired, as though he was explaining it to a toddler.

The pink-haired kunoichi agreed with the Inuzuka boy, the girl bobbing her head up and down quickly. Her long pink hair bounced with her head as she agreed, "Exactly, Gai-sensei! I know you miss him, but we haven't seen any sign of him. We just keep running into trouble." she tried to convince him. "Isn't this a job better suited for Kurenai's team? They're the trackers!" she insisted, hands in fits in front of her chest.

So, the guy's name was Gai, then. This 'Gai' didn't seem to care much for his students complaining. The man crossed his arms, looking disappointed. "While it may be true that they are better suited for tracking, there's nothing that compares to our youthful determination! Kakashi is counting on us to rescue him. Out of all the teams, we know him the best." he nodded with a serious look.

His little mini-me piped in, "Gai-sensei is right!" his voice just as loud as his sensei's. "We must continue looking for him! Though we did not see much of him, he is our sensei's eternal rival. Any friend of his is a friend of ours!" he spoke with determination. Hinata and Gaara silently deadpanned-- the boy reminded them a certain idiotic older brother of theirs.

The kunoichi and Inuzuka seemed to give in, both of them sighing with a round of "Yes, sensei." seeming to slump slightly at the choice but otherwise not complaining. Gai nodded in approval, and just as Hinata and Gaara thought the group was about to get moving, the jonin spoke once more.

"Though, you may be correct about us continuously running into trouble. I suppose it's that overrunning mouth of the mine, isn't it?" he chuckled, though his attitude was still rather serious. The kunoichi and Inuzuka seemed ready to agree but were cut off as the jonin ruffled their hairs easily. "No, no. Not you two," he spoke jokingly, glancing over his shoulder and directly towards the tree Hinata and Gaara were hiding in. "I see that a pair of hatchlings couldn't resist their childish urge to eavesdrop. I suppose I can't blame them, but it's rather impolite to not admit to your mistakes," he spoke with a firm nod, moving to face the two teens in the trees.

Hinata and Gaara both startled at this, not expecting to be called out by the ninja. They had previously assumed that he wasn't very skilled in the art of the ninja due to his loud tone. Now, they felt quite foolish. Of course, he was at least somewhat skilled-- he was a jonin. Him being so willing to give away his position most likely meant that he was confident in his abilities. Hinata squeaked lightly, hands moving over her mouth. Oh spirits, had they just been caught spying by one of the more advanced ninjas in the village? Gaara had similar nerves, the boy's eyes widening lightly for a brief second. Oh, this was not good.

Seeing his sister freeze up, Gaara took a breath, leaping down from the trees after sending her a 'shh' motion. His face iced over, looking at the team seriously. The younger ninja had all taken fighting stances, so Gaara's sand lifted into the air threateningly. It seemed like a lingering threat to the enemy ninja, the red-headed boy glaring at them coldly from behind it.

What they didn't know, though, was that this sand wasn't lingering in warning; but rather, in protection. If they dared to move a muscle, Gaara was ready to have it shield both him and Hinata. The red-headed boy stood calmly, ignoring the silent shifts Hinata made in the trees as he spoke with the group. Neither of them knew if they had the power to fight off the group, so they had to hope they could out-smart them.

Gaara's words were calm but full of edge as he spoke, "...Pain told you not to go after us. By looking, you're putting him at death's door." he lied easily. Honestly, it didn't seem like Kakashi was going anywhere any time soon. He seemed close with Itachi, plus their mother and father had said they were trying to come to agreements with the villages.

These people didn't need to know that, though.

Gai had a firm frown, hand lightly motioning his students to stay steady but not yet attack. He eyed the boy, speaking bluntly, "You were one of the kids in the attack on the village. Which means you know where Kakashi is." his voice even stranger to Gaara now that he was up close. So high pitched and low at the same time. "I saw someone else up in the trees. We'll have to bring you both in for questioning."

"I took part in the rescue," Gaara spoke calmly with a nod. "I also know where Kakashi is. Unfortunately, you don't have the authorization to know that," he spoke calmly, sand lightly flowing in front of him in warning, whipping around him swiftly. "I'm here alone. Go ahead and try to take me in, if you think you can." eyes narrowing at the elder shinobi as he moved into a firm fighting stance. He rather avoids conflict if possible, but he wouldn't hesitate if it came down to his and Hinata's safety. His arms crossed in front of his chest, sand swirling into daggers in the air. He tilted his head easily, musing, "Just keep in mind what happened last time your village attacked us."

Gai's mini-me spoke in a loud voice, hand folding behind him in preparation to fight. "How dare you say such things about the noble Leaf Village! We would never attack someone unprovoked." he barked, "The Akatsuki has taken two of the kages from the five shinobi villages. You attacked us without being provoked. The Akatsuki has so far proven themselves to be dishonorable by any standards!"

A pained growl cut off their argument, the small team turning quickly to the sound of pain. The Inuzuka called out angrily, "Hey! Get your hands off Sakura!" the dog falling to the ground in preparation to fight. Gaara's sand moved to circle the entire group, blocking off any outside interference.

Hinata was behind Sakura, single hand pinning both the girls to her back. A kunai was at her throat as well, Hinata's strength undeniable despite her disdain for it. She spoke less calmly than Gaara; more nervously. "Just leave us alone! We came here because we heard you cry out. We were going to help. We didn't want to start a fight, but if you continue to push, we'll have no choice!" hands steady despite her nerves. They wouldn't attack when she was holding this girl hostage, surely.


	53. True Shinobi

The enemy shinobi watched the two carefully, the genin looking particularly nervous as the Jonin steadied his eyes on them. The air was painfully thick as Hinata resisted biting her lip, keeping her hold on the girl steady. She eyed the Jonin firmly, her gaze held tightly with the elder ninja. If there was one thing she had learned over the years, it was to never show fear when you held the upper hand. Especially not in front of enemy ninja. Look confident, be confident. Any shows of weakness could lead to the enemies finding a weakness to exploit. Hinata wasn't an idiot-- she knew she had many.

Gaara stood beside her, his sand encasing the area in warning as his eyes iced over. His expression mimicked Hinata's, the teens standing firm as they held their hostage. Neither felt particularly ashamed of it-- after all, it wasn't as though it was unusual for a ninja to be taken captive. It, unfortunately, came with the lifestyle. They of course didn't enjoy it, but it was necessary for some situations. Gaara wouldn't hesitate to crush each and every one of these ninja if they made a move on Hinata, eventual peace negotiations be damned. What was most important right now was that they didn't cast a repeat of Sasuke's earlier situation.

Both of them felt an echo of surprise as they heard the other man's long sigh, a grin propping upon his mouth. What was he so happy about? "Understood." his laugh rumbled from his lips, the genin on his squad looking both started and painfully unsurprised by his words. Hinata and Gaara both blinked heavily in surprise, looking over at the taller man with blunt confusion. Hinata steadied her hand on her kunai, looking doubtful of the cooperation. Gai nodded, as though re-affirming his choice. "Yes, it would not be in the village's best interest to cross paths with the Akatsuki any time soon." he spoke with determination, "We will hold off on our battle between youths until we can truely show you our best!"

...Gaara wasn't really sure that was something you were supposed to say to your enemies, but if it meant they would leave them alone, it would have to do. He felt a mix of disbelief and deadpanning fall over him, the redhead wanting nothing more than to just finish Hinata's little mini-mission. Honestly, it was a good thing Karin wasn't here or she'd let them know just how idiotic it was to say that. To be fair, though, most of their siblings would probably be ready to meet the man halfway in agreement. Even Sasuke might have played along, if Gaara was being honest with himself.

Hinata watched the man, listening as he declared his plans for a good fight someday. She spoke with equal determination that Gaara wasn't quite ready for. He knew his sister could get heated when it came to her family, but he sincerely hoped she knew what she was saying. "We have no interest in a battle between youths!" nodding firmly as the man deadpanned in shock. The Inuzuka's hand rose up into a face-palm while both the men in green jumpsuits face-faulted. Gaara mentally grimaced. Oh, sister.

The man's mini-me stepped forward, Hinata momentarily gripping the kunai until it became clear that it wasn't an offensive movement. The teen rose his hand to his heart, speaking loud enough that Gaara and Hinata had to resist covering their ears. "I am Lee of the Leaf Village, and I have to say, your disrespect for the youthful lifestyle is unbelievable!" he bellowed, seeming completely serious with his words.

Hinata listened to him, shaking her head back and forth as she heard his resolute words. She mentally paused, having to take a moment to figure out how to word it so that Lee would understand what she meant. Finally, she nodded with a measured smile, "Youngth is important, but why force them to battle? Have them come together!" she spoke loudly, Gaara barely recognizing his sister as she mimicked their attitude. It seemed like she was having fun with it, though, a large grin printed over her face. Gaara silently mused, it seemed almost like she was playing a game based on her attitude.

Lee seemed as though he had entered a new world of possibilities, the dramatic boy nodding in excitement. His eyes sparkled, pumping his fist up and down as he heard her speak. "This would be a lovely idea, if the Akatsuki would stop attacking the leaf!" he nodded quickly, a vein of annoyance propping up on Sakura's forehead as he spoke. The girl was clearly annoyed at the way Lee spoke, combined with Hinata's willingness to go along with it for the sake of discussion.

"The Akatsuki might stop attacking if the leaf leaves them alone!" Hinata declared, nodding up and down quickly. "There have been talks within the Akatsuki about a cease-fire between them and the villages, so long as the villages agree to negotiate with them!" Gaara mentally deadpanning. Well, they had to find out eventually. It was better they know now if it lowered the chances of them being attacked. Besides, Nagato had already told them he would be delivering the news to both the villages. Surely, he had done it by now.

Gai looked enthralled with the possibility of 'the youths working 'side by side', since he interjected with a question of, "If these negotiations are possible, why hasn't the leaf been informed yet? It could save so many beautiful and young lives!" his hands moving around wildly. Gaara looked around briefly, eyeing Sakura and the Inuzuka as if to ask if this was normal. They both looked painfully used to this sort of thing happening. Gaara was momentarily thankful that the rain village didn't have the normal genin system. It seemed tiring.

Hinata tilted her head, pumping her fist in mimicry of the elder two as she spoke with confusion, "I don't know! The Akatsuki said they were going to tell the villages!" she assured them, Gai and Lee both looking startled by this revelation. Gaara silently tilted his head. Had they not received the message? Both Hinata and Gaara knew for a fact that Nagato had said he would be speaking with both villages face-to-face.

The Inuzuka nodded in confirmation, speaking loudly but in a much more relaxed fashion. "Yeah, we're pretty damn sure. The Jonin woulda heard about it by now if a letter of something had arrived. Plus my clan would need to sniff it out to make sure its real and everything." he assured, hand waving back and forth lightly in dismissal.

Gaara rested his hand on his chin as he listened, speaking calmly with a shake of his head, "We never sent out a letter. Fa-" he cleared his throat, "Pain told us that he would make sure the message was personally delivered. He said he had spoken with both the sand siblings and the council. It's possible that the council refused his request, though I'm not sure why he wouldn't have told us, if that was the case." he pointed out. Nagato would have told them if the leaf had rejected the offer, right? The man seemed to be preparing to go to the peace negotiations no problem. So why on earth would this be the case if the leaf had said no?

Hinata felt a small swell of panic rise in her chest as a thought crossed her mind. She could still remember the story Nagato had told her and the others.

Kakuzu had been telling them war stories from the different ninja wars he had participated in throughout the years. The children had all stared up at the man, starry-eyed and impressed as they listened to the many roles the man had played in each one. The children had soon taken to splitting into teams, 'playing war' in the back yard. Kakuzu, Kisame, and Hidan had watched over them with amusement as they pretended to bleed out or face betrayal.

Sasori, Itachi, Nagato, and Konan hadn't thought it was anywhere near as funny.

That was a talk Hinata didn't really care to remember. The sad eyes that the normally proud and serious ninja wore had been unsettling, to say the least. As the four had vividly explained why war was not meant to be fun nor a game, the kids had each felt guilt well in their stomachs.

The way Sasori had lost his parents in the war, forcing him to live with his grandmother. The way he had taken to puppets as a form of coping, which had eventually led him to run away and join the Akatsuki, leaving any form of love behind until he met the Deidara and the kids.

There was also Itachi's poor tale, the way he'd seen war for the first time when he was younger than any of them had been. The way he had made his first kill before he had learned to write. The echoing screams of his teammates as they fell around him, one by one. The way the war had torn his best friend's loving smile from his face.

It had merely been the icing on the cake when Nagato and Konan had explained what had happened to their brother, Yakiko. The way he had gone to the leaf in hopes of helping to end war, but was instead met with a knife in the back. The way the leaf had merely shoved it under the rug, never speaking of it again. The way they would never see their brother alive and well after that, his cheerful smile gone for good.

The kids hadn't played war again after that, the story of their uncle Yahiko who they'd never get to meet lingering in the back of their minds.

It was for this reason both Gaara and Hinata quickly understood what was happening, a look of terror overcoming Hinata's face while Gaara silently gripped his hands by his side. Hinata spoke seriously, her voice leaving no room for argument as she spoke to Gai, "If you're truely interested in peace, we'll need to ask for a favor." removing the kunai from Sakura's throat as she pushed the girl over towards her team. The leaf ninja looked unsettled by their sudden change in attitude, but nodded.

Hinata looked over to Gai, speaking gravely, "Tell the other jonin who would agree to a meeting that we want peace. As many as you can. Don't let the council keep our offer silent." the girl hoping she was doing the right thing. Based on the sincere nod she received from Gai, she had a feeling she was.

"We'll be sure to spread the word!" he spoke firmly, seeing the eerie seriousness of the two teens. "I would like to make a request, however." his playful and goofy attitude seemingly gone for the moment. Gaara and Hinata tilted their heads, listening as Gai spoke, "During this meeting, I'd like you to bring Kakashi Hatake, the man you took hostage. His testimony will act as a show of good faith. How you've treated him should speak wonders for how dedicated you are in wanting to find peace."

They didn't see much issue with it, since Kakashi was pretty much an ally by this point. He probably didn't even count as a hostage anymore, if Gaara was honest. "We'll see what we can do." the red-head agreed. "I'm sure it's possible."

Gai seemed pleased with this agreement, nodding firmly to the rain ninja, one hand held on both Sakura and Lee's shoulder. Kiba was standing nearby, the three genin looking interested in this new idea of peace, even if they couldn't stand the way they had been forced to listen to Lee and Gai's excited rambling in order to get to it. It would have to do, they supposed, a light sigh of exasperation and mild amusement leaving their lips as they saw their allies' grins.


	54. Smile

It was late in the afternoon when Hinata and Gaara returned from their venture into the leaf village. Luckily, no one had seen them slip in or out of the Hyuuga compound. Though, that was most likely due to the fact they had only needed to sneak into a family house, close to the gates. With no one purposely searching the house, it had been easy to steal the practice material. It looked like the little family had a few children, based on the many rooms filled with toys and training material for different ages. The teens would feel guilty, if not for the fact it was obvious that the family was well-endowed. They could easily afford a new one, that much was clear, based on the extensive hallways they had so easily slipped through.

The young Hyuuga shook these thoughts from her mind, heading into the Akatsuki base with Gaara slowly trailing behind her. She was greeted by light nods from Sasori and Itachi, the two settled beside each other as they played a game of Shoji, which they easily responded to with light smiles. Sasori quirked a brow and he moved his piece, inquiring, "Did you two have a successful day out?" having obviously heard about their little venture from Itachi. Neither of the kids were surprised-- it wasn't like they could just go off into enemy territory without their caregivers knowing.

"Mhm." Gaara hummed out lightly, moving to sit on the couch beside them as the two elder ninja played. The redhead relaxed lightly, leaning forward to watch them. "We ran into some leaf ninja, though." he made sure to bring it up now, not wanting to seem like they were hiding it. It was important information, after all. A pair of curious dark eyes briefly landed on them before returning to the game, the two Akatsuki members never being the type to jump to conclusions.

None the less, they of course still needed answers. Itachi's calm voice soothed the worries of the two, the elder shinobi questioning, "Oh? This encounter wasn't hostile, I hope?" after all, the last thing Itachi wanted was for the tensions to increase any further. Both Sasori and he glanced the teens over briefly, checking for any clear signs of injury. When they found none, the Uchiha let out a small breath of relief, moving his piece.

"No," Hinata piped in, using the connected kitchen to make her and Gaara a quick snack. They had been so preoccupied with the leaf ninja and getting the practice equipment that they had neglected to eat all day. They were more than ready for a mid-afternoon snack. "It was tense, but I won't say hostile. They were out looking for Kakashi. Just a jonin and a few genin." lightly tapping her lips in thought. "They attacked us at first, but stopped when we took one of the genin hostage. We talked for a bit after that and got some new information on their point of view."

Her contemplating look changed to a light glare as Gaara smirked with amusement from the couch, "Hinata made friends with the leaf ninja, she means."

A curious look crossed Itachi and Sasori's face as they listened to the two, Hinata flustering, "I did not! I was just trying to stop the tension!" she shot back, crossing her arms with annoyance as she waited on the bread that was cooking on the stovetop.

Gaara lightly played with his hair, looking down at his lap as he hummed, "You seemed to be getting along rather well with the Jonin and his protégé. You were so loud." he snorted softly. He was glad his sister was able to get along with them, but it was rare to see her raise her tone as she had. It had seemed like she was rather enjoying mimicking their attitude.

"So what if I was." the Hyuuga pouted, placing some cheese and ham on the bread to melt. "They looked like they were having fun." that, and the amount of confidence they had spoken with was astonishing. She had long since gotten over her stuttering problem, but she was far from prideful. To see them so excited and determined was amazing. She supposed she had let herself get carried away, now that she thought about it. She ducked her head lightly in shame as she made the sandwiches, blinking lightly as she heard her brother from across the room.

Her brother had leaned forward in his spot, leaning his head onto his hands. He tilted his head, musing with a thin smile, "I never said it was bad. You looked really happy. If we do end up on peaceful terms with the leaf, you should try to find them again. Maybe you could be friends." he suggested.

The two were unaware of the eyes on them. Itachi side-eyed Sasori, the Uchiha shrugging lightly. If they were able to ally themselves with some leaf ninja, it could lead to a much easier agreement between the villages. Seeing Hinata's shy nod as she handed Gaara his sandwich, neither of the elder ninja were surprised by her hesitance. After all, the majority of the kids would probably have that reaction. It wasn't as though they had been around many others their age, let alone people from outside of the village. It was understandable that it'd been strange to get along with a leaf ninja after so long.

"Though we specifically warned them against searching for Kakashi," Sasori sighed in mild annoyance as he played the game, "At least this means he's still valuable to them. It will help mend relationships between the villages if they see that he has been left unharmed."

A light nod came from Gaara, the boy lightly playing with his shirt sleeves as he spoke, "Yeah, about that." clearing his throat awkwardly. How to say this? "We ended up talking about the possibility of the leaf and Akatsuki getting along. Apparently, none of them had heard anything about it."

Itachi quirked a brow, moving his piece. "That's quite odd. We were told that Nagato had already contacted them and had received words of compliance." his brows furrowed, "I suppose this means that the council is keeping the offering quiet. I don't think they've voted on the new Hokage yet-- so it must be them shushing the situation."

Not that he was particularly surprised-- after all, it wasn't uncommon for the leaf to sweep this kind of thing under the rug. That much was known by anyone who had ever stepped foot in the ANBU.

Sasori easily understood what Itachi was saying, the redheaded man nodding lightly as he made his move. "I suppose we'll have to let Nagato know. This is important intel. Now we can be prepared for a sabotaged meeting, if they supposedly agree to one. It makes sense for them to keep it hushed up if their true intent was to end us. They couldn't have their village knowing what they had done. It would ruin their reputation and cause chaos."

While Hinata understood that it was important to be prepared for a faulty meeting, she also knew it was important to point out one important factor. "Even if the leaf officials try to ruin us with this meeting, we still have some of the Jonin on our side. The one we met today said that he would spread the proposal as quickly as he could to the other Jonin. He also said he was open to peace treaties if we wanted to meet him and the others. We said that we'd try to ask you about it. That, and he wanted Kakashi to attend and speak at the meeting. As a show of good faith." she suggested.

Nods bound from both the elder shinobi, much to her relief. Itachi agreed, "We'll talk to Nagato and Konan to ask what we can do." lightly reaching over to ruffle Gaara's hair as he ate. "Leave it to us." he smiled thinly, suggesting, "Until them, how about you two go check on Neji and Sasuke. They've been training since dawn. Would you two mind asking them to come home for the day?" seeming mildly amused at the idea. Those boys really didn't know when to stop. They would need to learn not to push themselves so hard one day.

To be fair, though, the Akatsuki were sure they had stayed so late today specifically to catch a break from the bickering. So they had allowed them to stay out there for a while, assuming that they would return when they were ready. So late in the afternoon was pushing it, though. They needed to take breaks, even if they were just burning off steam.

"Sure." Hinata easily agreed, standing up as she finished off the last bit of her sandwich. "They're in the normal spot, right?" not wanting to go to the wrong area if they had for some reason chosen to train somewhere other than their usual spot. Gaara said nothing, but stood to join his sister while still nibbling on his sandwich.

A light nod eased them, Sasori musing, "Same spot as always. Or they were last time we checked on them." he smiled thinly in amusement. Itachi made no comment, simply nodding as he continued on playing. Sasuke and Neji did have their strange little spot that they seemed intent on training at. Honestly, it was a bit of a walk to get there, but he supposed he couldn't blame them. After all, it was a beautiful spot.


	55. One Step At A Time, Deidara

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's winter break for me, finally. So yeah, that's why the updates were so close together. Hope you enjoyed it- I'll continue to work on writing the new chapters, for now.

Sasori and Itachi shared a brief glance as the two left to go find their siblings. No words were spoken regarding the new information, though Sasori gave a brief nod to the younger shinobi. He wordlessly stood to make his way upstairs in search of Nagato, knowing this wasn't something they could just set to the side. It was important to keep their leader notified, especially with something this big.

Itachi didn't stop him, moving to head for the kitchen with a light sigh. It seemed that little had changed over the course of the last few years-- the leaf was just as eager to play difficult as always. He went to work with dinner since it would take a while to get it fully prepared. He started preparing some oyakodon, hands moving without much thought as he did so. He could vaguely hear the noise of the front door opening, though he paid it no mind. That was, until he heard the familiar huff of Deidara in his ears.

He glanced up momentarily to see the blond leaning on the kitchen counter, seeming to glance over the ingredients Itachi had pulled out of the fridge. Itachi quirked a brow as he worked, asking idly as he sliced the meat, "Can I help you with something?" returning his gaze to his hands as he spoke. He would rather avoid cutting himself by accident, even if he highly doubted he was clumsy enough to do such a thing.

Itachi didn't have to look up to know Deidara was shaking his head back and forth, the blond speaking easily, "No." not seeming interested in giving any more of an answer than that. Itachi would brush it off, if not for how tired the explosion master looked.

Perhaps he wouldn't have noticed it if he was someone else, but his eyes weren't exactly adapt to forgetting what he'd seen. It was in his nature to scan over every detail- hence why it was so easy to see the difference in Deidara's demeanor. Itachi hadn't noticed anything before now, though he supposed that might have been due to the fact he wasn't normally alone with Deidara. It was painfully obvious to him now, however.

Deidara's shoulders were lowered slightly from their normal tense and focused posture. His hair flowered less than before, as though he hadn't been washing or brushing it as much. Itachi could see the way his skin was slightly reddened, most likely some sort of stress rash ready to come out at any moment. The slightly chipped nail polish spoke wonders, as did the small lining on his lips where Deidara had bitten and nibbled at them, possibly without even thinking about it.

Itachi almost considered ignoring the small details, since Deidara had so far done a pretty good job of acting like his normal self. Perhaps it would be intruding, a small voice in the back of Itachi's mind called. He continued chopping the meat, pausing briefly as he considered it. The biggest issue was that he simply wasn't sure what could have him so upset, not to mention so willing to hide it.

Normally, Deidara would make his feelings of disdain known to everyone, whether they wanted to know or not. He would end up blowing up a wall or snap at Tobi ten times more than usual, letting his anger be- ah. Itachi mentally grimaced at the idea. Tobi.

He sent brief glances up at Deidara occasionally, the blond settled on watching Itachi's hands move without much attention for anything else. Itachi considered it briefly. Well, Tobi had been Deidara's partner. Even if he had yelled at him a lot, that didn't really mean anything. Kakuzu and Hidan fought like cats and dogs, but even Itachi knew they cared about each other in their own odd way.

It wasn't as though the zombie duo had made an announcement or anything, but...well, it was fairly obvious to anyone with more than five brain cells that they were involved in a not-so-platonic way. He doubted that was the case with Deidara and Tobi since, well, Tobi wasn't exactly the romantic type from what he could tell. That, and Sasori would probably have a thing or two to say about it if they had been dating.

Even if Sasori and Deidara hadn't officially laid claim to each other, only an idiot would try to flirt with one of them. Said idiot would probably end up either a puppet or a pile of exploded guts if they for some reason tried. Itachi mentally sighed at the idea. Just because Deidara and Tobi weren't romantically involved, that didn't mean they weren't somewhat close, he supposed.

It didn't seem like they had been, but Itachi's moral compass wouldn't allow him to ignore the possibility. "Deidara." his calm words sliced through the empty air, the blond looking up from his hands and towards his dark eyes. The explosion master only quirked a brow, unaware of Itachi's thoughts and mildly annoyed by his sudden words. "I'm...sorry about Tobi. I realize he was your partner, even if you two weren't known to get along very well." his words a bit weary as he began. It wasn't as though he talked to the blond all that much, though he supposed that was his own fault. Itachi wasn't exactly known to be the most social of the Akatsuki.

The awkwardness seemed to be double-sided, Deidara freezing momentarily as he heard the Uchiha's words. Blue eyes stared blankly at Itachi, his lips tugging into a tight frown. He didn't say anything for a long minute, his shoulders locking into a stiff position when he finally dragged his eyes away from Itachi. His voice was gruff as he reflexively clenched his hands into fists, nails clawing into the skin lightly. "...It doesn't matter," he spoke bluntly, refusing to loosen his tight gaze on the Uchiha. "Tobi got what was coming to him. We have more important things to worry about."

"I am aware." Itachi quirked a brow at his stubbornness, "That doesn't change the fact that you two spent a lot of time together. I'm only saying that it would be understandable if it was weighing on you." his tone was composed as ever despite his words.

Much to his surprise, Deidara didn't react with the disdain or annoyance he would have expected from the blonde. Rather, the blue eyes on him only continued to stare, leaving Itachi at ever more of a loss. How was he supposed to know what Deidara was thinking? The man had declared his hate for Itachi more times than he could count. Honestly, the only reason Deidara didn't hate Uchiha in general was probably due to Sasuke. Itachi didn't have a clue what was going on in his mind.

"...Stop that." Deidara's words sliced through his thoughts, the glare that was aimed at Itachi not doing much to numb the edge on the blonde's words. "I know you're pissed off as me, I'm not a fucking idiot. So stop with your patronizing glares." the annoyance clear in his voice. Almost as clear as the guilt.

Deidara only seemed further pissed off at the blank stare Itachi sent him, the Uchiha having paused in his cooking. "I haven't been glaring at you, Deidara." pausing briefly as he considered something, "I've been preoccupied with helping Nagato and Konan with the details of the Akatsuki reform. Perhaps it merely seemed like I was dismissing you?" he inquired, resuming his cooking as he spoke, leading the now cut ingredients to be cooked. "It was not my intention to seem annoyed."

Itachi's apologetic words didn't seem to cool Deidara off much, the man only seeming more displeased. The blond clenched his teeth, gripping the clay in his pockets despite the lack of intent to throw them. "Don't play dumb, Uchiha! You and I both know you can come up with a better excuse than that! At least admit to it! Or are you going to lie about it just like everything else?" his words heated despite the pain laced in his words.

"I presume you're referring to my status as a former spy?" Itachi spoke, his words even despite his now narrowing eyes. "It was necessary."

A wind of rage swept through Deidara, the blonde moving in closer to the Uchiha until he was mere inches away, bright blue eyes glaring in Itachi's face. "It might have seemed necessary to you, but it doesn't make it any less of a lie!" he barked, pointing an accusing hand towards him as his voice shook with something between anger and hurt. "You chose to do it. You lied to us! We've all...we shared things with you! Things that were important to us!" his eyes heavy as he gritted, "We trusted you with all our personal shit, but you kept all that to yourself."

Itachi paused as he finished preparing the meal, turning fully to Deidara as he heard his words. "Deidara, listen," he spoke firmly, eyes zoning in on the other in warning. "I realize that what I did was wrong. It felt necessary at the time." drumming his fingers lightly on the counter, his eyes lowering slightly as he forced out the words. It felt wrong to go back on what he had decided all those years ago, but he also had to admit that what Konan and Nagato had told him the other day had stuck with him. As hard as it was to admit it, he really had been too young to be making those choices. "I apologize if my reasons hurt you, but you should know that it was not my intention to fool you. I enjoy being your...ally, as well as our time together." not sure if the blond quite considered him a friend.

The brief moment of silence had him wondering if his words had been too weak of an excuse, but the thought was quickly put aside as he heard Deidara's scoff, the missing-nin crossing his arms and looking away. "That's all you had to say, Uchiha." his face reddening as he spoke, head turned to glare away from Itachi. "You're part of the Akatsuki, un. You're part of our family, whether you like it or not. It'd be a pain to have you backing out on us. So you better stop lying to us all."

"Fine by me," Itachi spoke after taking a deep breath, "But I expect the sentiment to be returned. Don't think I didn't notice you changing the topic." Itachi warned, dark eyes narrowing despite the warmth that filled his stomach at Deidara's words. "I was telling the truth when I said I haven't been glaring at you. You never clarified. Why in the world would I be?"

Itachi's warning gaze softened slightly as he saw Deidara's bitter look, the blonde clenching his teeth and looking down. It took a long moment of silence before Deidara finally huffed out, "I was Tobi's partner. I should have realized sooner that he...wasn't really as idiotic as he was leading us to believe." his shoulder lowering in what Itachi presumed was guilt. "You have every reason to be pissed at me, un." he sighed out, a noise of annoyance leaving him as Itachi awkwardly reached over to pat his shoulder. Neither of them were really touchy people, but...the sentiment was there.

"No one could have seen it coming, Deidara." Itachi gave his best try at comfort, hands returning to his sides as he heard the annoyed noise. "We all lived with him for years. We let him trick us all. You're not the only one to blame. I'm just as at fault as you are in this situation."

Deidara didn't seem too convinced by this, so Itachi continued on, "Look, we've all been through a lot in the last few weeks. It'll take some time for all to...cope. I get why you'd feel guilty, but for now, all we can do is focus on keeping the kids safe and try to keep ourselves functioning. We'll make sure it never happens again, right?"

Finally, after a long moment, a huffy nod came from Deidara. The blonde kept his eyes parked at his feet as he admitted, "Yeah, I guess, un. One step at a time."


	56. The Time Has Come

Dinner passed rather peacefully, outside of the usual shenanigans of the Akatsuki members and children. Sasori had spoken with Nagato regarding the issue of the leaf, but the man had put it on a hold for now. They would deal with Suna first, then Konoha. Give the Jonin some time to pass the message along, he figured. They needed to focus on the meeting and the Akatsuki reform first.

Which, despite how long they had been preparing for it, was harder than it sounded. The night before the meeting was stressful for everyone involved, and even some who weren't. By the time the morning of the meeting rolled around, even those who were against the meeting were sending their siblings worried glances.

As they set out for said meeting, the Akatsuki members made a point of ignoring the small hugs Naruto and Karin had insisted on giving their siblings. The teens knew the Akatsuki would keep their siblings safe, but that didn't make the prospect of going into enemy territory any less stressful. So much so, that it seemed even the ones in agreeance with the meeting were open to accepting the worried farewell. 

Nagato himself gave a brief wave to the children, the man currently using one of his corpse puppets to move around. He might have improved with Karin's constant care to his real body, but that didn't mean it was good to travel around in. 

The run for Suna had been quiet, each of the shinobi anxious regardless of their experience. Nagato made no move to change this, keeping a close eye on the others as they traveled. 

Itachi had placed himself near the front, his Sharingan activated as he glanced over the surrounding areas. Nagato could see the little drops of red welling in the corner of his eyes whenever Itachi glanced back to make sure they were still there. He was bitterly reminded of the drawback of the mangekyou- he would have insisted on an immediate transplant between Itachi and Sasuke, had the elder Uchiha not insisted otherwise. Apparently, it was better to master the mangekyou then swap. The former leaf shinobi had claimed that it would increase the eyes' power dramatically and make it easier for the users to adapt to the new eyes. Honestly, Nagato might have ignored this had Itachi not assured him that the rest of his health issues were completely separate from his eyes. 

...That was something else to consider, too. He would have to find a good doctor for Itachi. The man had medication to prolong his life thanks to Karin, but he had a feeling Itachi was mostly only alive out of pure determination. It was obvious he was in pain, even if he did try his best to hide it around the other members and the children. 

Nagato knew the majority of medical shinobi would be no help. After all, this was an issue with Itachi himself. The Uchiha hadn't obtained an injury or something of the sort- his body itself was the problem. From what little the man had told him, it was his lungs. Some sort of respiratory disease, though no doctor had been able to figure out what exactly was causing the problem. Only how to slow down the process of him slowly throwing up bits of his own lung.

It was worrying, to say the least. Had Itachi not been as self-aware as he was, Nagato might have forced him to slow down. As it was, they needed to arrive on time, and he had to trust Itachi not to wear his body too thin. At least until they found someone they could trust not to poison him in the process of 'diagnosis'. 

If Nagato couldn't find a doctor pretty soon, he was fairly sure Kisame was going to do it himself. The former mist shinobi might not know a lung from a kidney, but he cared about Itachi, if nothing else. 

He had placed Kisame with Itachi for many reasons, but among them, his biggest had been their contradictions in loyalty. While he was fairly confident in Kisame's loyalty and defensiveness- as seen by how he was currently lagging behind simply to make sure no one snuck up on them- he couldn't say the same for Itachi at first.

It was ironic, Nagato thought, that his original suspicions concerning Itachi's loyalty had been correct. The young Uchiha had been a spy, even if that wasn't so much his fault, Nagato had realized not long ago. None the less, it seemed their little plan to make sure Itachi had someone watching him had backfired. Kisame watched Itachi a bit too close, it seemed.

Kisame might have been their loyal keeper for a while, but that had fallen to pieces fairly fast. Nagato could still remember the absolute disbelief he felt the first time he saw Itachi resting his head on Kisame's lap, as though he were the most comfortable pillow around.

He had mistakenly thought that Kisame was doting on the smaller shinobi at the time. Now, he could almost laugh at his absurd theory. The very possibility that Kisame would decide to act as a shield to Itachi because the teen was small, soft-spoken, and dainty was almost inconceivable now. 

No, the more he had learned about Kisame, the more he had realized this was very much not the case. Kisame wasn't taken by Itachi in the same way one might be taken to a kitten- he was taken in by Itachi himself. It had taken a bit to understand, but eventually, he had.

Kisame loved Itachi for his silent power. The way he could walk into a room, settle down in a corner, and be completely missed despite having the ability to massacre everyone in the room with a simple blink of his eyes.

He wasn't sure why it had taken so long for him to understand, but once he had, he had felt like a fool. Kisame hadn't been caught by Itachi's beauty like most would have assumed. No, it had become increasingly obvious that Kisame was absolutely floored by the amount of respect he felt for the smaller shinobi.

Nagato didn't have a single doubt in his mind that if it were to come to the organization or Itachi, Kisame would turn on them without question. How odd, that the spy was the one keeping the keeper loyal. 

Better yet, how odd it was that the keeper had been completely roped into Itachi's world without a single hint of malice. It seemed like Itachi's loving nature towards the children had rubbed off on all of them, especially his partner.

Had anyone told Nagato at the time that Kisame would be all but adopting a little Hyuuga as his protege, he would have thought them insane. Hyuuga were known to be formal, up-tight, and serious. It was impossible to imagine one would fit in so well with Kisame, had he not seen it himself. It seemed like the only thing the two had in common was the bull-headed protectiveness of their respective charges. 

The moment Hinata decided to start tagging along with Itachi and Sasuke, it was all over for Neji and Kisame's tough-guy acts. The two had practically drilled holes in each other using their eyes alone, Neji wedging himself right in the middle of the others to make it clear that he was /there/ and that Hinata was /his/. The amusement Kisame had taken in messing with the little body-guard had shifted into some sort of chase, Neji demanding to learn from the former Mist shinobi, wanting to prove that he /was/ a great body-guard for his Lady Hinata. 

Who could have known that it would spiral into an idolization almost as severe as Sasuke's towards Itachi. If the Hyuuga ever caught sight of their former clansmen using a sword of all things, Nagato was fairly sure they'd have a heart attack and drill him on about the tradition of hand-to-hand combat. 

Neji had become so focused on proving that he was great at watching his precious people that he hadn't even noticed it as Hinata wiggled her way towards Itachi, finding herself right on his lap more often than not. The loving and brotherly hugs Itachi gave Hinata became normal at some point, though Nagato couldn't quite say when it was. He wasn't sure what had so enthralled her about Itachi, but he had his suspicions Sasuke was partly responsible for their tight bond.

He hadn't a doubt in his mind that Sasuke had woven stories of his amazing big brother for Hinata. Then, given the young Hyuuga's shared dislike of conflict, it was only a matter of time before Itachi was enforcing these ideas. Nagato had always made a point to restrain his words when Itachi shared stories of love and peace, of happy endings and gentle heroes. She had always seemed so happy, after all.

Itachi really was one of their least forceful members, never forcing his pacifistic ideas on others despite his strong belief in them. He was just so...easy to get along with. Nagato highly doubted Sasori would be guarding them on either side with his puppets as he was now, had Itachi not been as such.

The two had made a habit of talking over shogi, going back and forth about their thoughts on one topic or another while Gaara, Hinata, or Sasuke sat in their respective laps. Their willingness to venture into uncomfortable territory for the other was outstanding, really. Nagato doubted Itachi would help anyone else clean their corpse puppets. Likewise, he doubted Sasori would trust anyone else with cleaning his puppets, let alone his favorites. It was odd to think that the two would ever get along, given their vastly different attitudes towards life. 

Even with their vastly different perspectives, they still listened to each other. Even if that sometimes lead to them taking advice they really rather not have. For example, Nagato highly doubted Sasori would have bonded with Gaara so swiftly had Itachi not been in the background giving him soft nudges towards it. Itachi had nudged Sasori just right, so that he fell right into place as one of Gaara's most precious people. 

It had only steamed from there, Sasori's open affection for Gaara leading to Deidara's growing attention for Naruto over the years. Given how often Naruto was around Gaara, it had only been a matter of time before the two blonds ended up as third wheels with their respective friends. As such, Deidara and Naruto had eventually clicked into place while their calmer counterparts were busy speaking. 

Nagato almost wished they hadn't clicked, considering the amount of property damage he had been forced to pay for. Almost, that was. He could never wish for anything else, even if it had taken some getting used to. The proud grins Naruto would give when showing off a drawing after working endlessly on it made his chest swell with joy, even as the blond got into a bickering match with Deidara about whether he should lace it with explosive powders or not. 

Yeah, Konan always ended up working quite hard to convince them to stop yelling when that particular issue came up. As odd as it was, his normally cut-throat partner was more often than not the mediator when these issues came up. If her gentle words didn't work, well, she had her ways to sort out seemingly any situation. She was a true mother, after all. Nagato sometimes envied her way with the children, honestly. 

In the end, they had eventually compromised on having Naruto draw on some papers and put the explosives on others. Sasori had been quite proud of Naruto's choice to leave his art as an eternal piece, and even he had to admit to finding it a bit amusing as Deidara and Sasori all but lured Naruto back and forth in an attempt to have him side with them on the eternal vs momentary art argument. Really, it was no wonder the two got along with him so well. They might try to hide it, but they were just as childish as Naruto at times. Tobi always appearing at the last moment to add fuel to the fire had never helped. He steered away from that uncomfortable idea- Damn artists.

He had been tempted to scold them occasionally, though this never did end up being an issue. Kakuzu always got to them long before he did. The elder immortal had a way of dealing with loud children, most likely thanks to his experience with Hidan. The kids might like to play tough, but they usually lost their luster once Kakuzu showed up. Sometimes the immortal seemed more like a grandfather than anyone would ever admit, the brunet always ready to speak up if they got too loud or acted out.

Even Karin, who was all but glued to his own side at times, would listen to Kakuzu without a second thought. Karin was a lot of things- hot-headed, big-hearted, and above all else protective. Still, she would listen almost immediately if Kakuzu told her she needed to shush or go do something. Nagato chalked it up to curiosity at the immortality aspect, just as most children would have after losing their birth parents. She seemed to hold some sort of morbid respect for Kakuzu since he had lived so long, usually enjoying his stories of what life was like decades earlier.

She was just as interested in Hidan, of course, though she didn't have half the respect for him. Instead, she had formed some sort of partners-in-crime friendship with the sadistic man. It was odd, how they would be grinning with excitement as they prepared a prank on another Akatsuki member one minute, then giving scowlish apologies to Kakuzu as the man seemed to /always/ know when they were planning something.

All in all, Nagato had learned long ago that there was no way to understand all of their dynamics. He tried, of course, but there was only so much he could understand when it came to the scrambled mind of the many Akatsuki members and strange children. It was with a morbid fascination that he watched his members and children mingle, forming some sort of twisted family where he and Konan were the leaders. This was the last thing he had expected when Konan had proposed the idea of children to him. 

Yet. It worked. In some odd, twistedly loving way, it worked. The children were happy. The Akatsuki members had begun to pacify over the years, so long as the children were doing alright. Really, that was the only time they acted rashly outside of their usual tempers. Hell, even he couldn't help but find himself rooted in the chaos that was parenthood. It was all too easy to fall into rhythm with. 

After all, it was one thing to know that his actions could cause him or strangers pain. It was completely different to look down at his children and know that if he decided to do something reckless it could cause a rift in their happiness. Nagato was sure the others understood their silent responsibility towards their happiness as well.

The only thing that had ever been able to break past this unspoken rule of only causing as much chaos as they could handle was an outside strike. It seemed like they were all ready to strike at a moment's notice, the moment any of the little ones were threatened. Nagato supposed it had to do with the fact that none of the Akatsuki members had been given the chance of a nice childhood. As much as they'd refuse to admit it, it was obvious they saw themselves in the kids. They wanted to protect each shred of happiness, though that didn't always work out. They were kids after all, and kids need to experience new things to become strong enough to handle the real world.

As such, even if they did want to wrap the kids in bubble-wrap, so to speak, they let them tumble occasionally. That still didn't make it any less painful to watch. Even if they would always be there to help them back up while resisting the urge to fight each and every person who had dared to threaten them.

...Nagato took a breath as he forced his thoughts to a halt, knowing he was getting worked up. He mentally scolded himself, eyes drifting over the others as they ran. He didn't need to show up in a bad mood or these talks of peace would go horridly. Even if he did want to give Sasuke's pain back to Suna and Konoha tenfold, he knew that wouldn't help anything. They'd only return for blood later on, possibly hurting Sasuke or one of the others in the name of justice. While he wouldn't particularly mind fighting each and every shinobi who sought to do them harm, he knew that would only end up hurting the children in the long run. Slow and steady.

Despite his rage, he wasn't an idiot, he mused idly as the gates of the moderately sized discussion house began falling into his line of sight. Nagato hated to admit it, but their anger was understandable, even if it wasn't justified. The cycle ran through Nagato's mind as they neared the gates, purple eyes as apathetic as ever despite the conflicted feeling in his chest.

Temari and Kankuro hurt Sasuke because he had somewhat participated in the assassination of their father. They had assassinated their father because he had been trying to get ahold of Gaara despite their warning. Their father had been trying to get to Gaara because the Akatsuki had stolen him away. The Akatsuki had stolen him because he had been trying to have Gaara killed. Their father had been trying to have Gaara killed because he was out of control. Gaara was out of control because the one-tailed beast was inside him. The one-tailed beast was inside him because...well...Rasa. 

Honestly, had he not been trying his hardest to follow through on Konan and Itachi's advice, he might have leveled the area to the ground right here and now. Peace be damned, this entire issue was Rasa's fault. He tried to ignore this as they finally arrived, his corpse puppet luckily not showing his grudged emotions. At least he was able to express his displeasure back home at his base, where he was currently gripping his chair a bit too hard. 

"-this way, and we'll be able to lead you to the meeting." Nagato heard the second half of the man's words, not really paying too much attention to him at first. He was more interested in watching the four teens protectively, his painfully deadpan expression remained despite his feelings. He only turned to face the man as he stepped to the front of the group, taking lead with a curt nod. 

Nagato eyed the man, looking him over briefly as they followed him inside. He was well-built, obviously a man of great skill. Nagato didn't need to see his Jonin vest to know that. He couldn't help but wonder just how many more of his rank would be waiting for them in the meeting room. The man's next words made his lips silently press together in mild aggravation, though he said nothing in response. "The Kazekage has requested you all set your weapons to the side when you enter. She and the others have already done the same."

He wasn't able to object, Itachi agreeing, "Of course. So long as they've done the same, there is no harm in it." giving Nagato a pointed look that he understood all too well. They really didn't need weapons. They were more than able to handle whatever they decided to pull.

Still, Nagato felt a wave of sour backlash, mind drifting as unpleasant memories forced their way to the surface. His nod did little to hide the small shine of disdain in his eyes. Subtle enough that the Jonin wouldn't call him out on it, but obvious enough that Konan took a moment to hold his corpse puppet's hand in comfort. Whether it was for him, her, or both of them, he couldn't say.

The Jonin stayed quiet as they dismounted their weapons, none of the other members looking any happier at the request than him. He leaned his iron poles up against the wall, Samehada resting side by side with his.

Beside him, Itachi made a point of creating a shadow clone, looking the Suna shinobi in the eyes as he did so. The intent was obvious-- to make sure their items weren't stolen. Luckily, the man didn't object past a simple sigh.

"Thank you." the Jonin nodded, finally introducing himself, "I am Baki of the sand. I serve as the top advisory to the Kazekage as of now." the unspoken meaning of his words understood by all- he was there to make sure they didn't trick the young teens into anything foolish.


End file.
